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Cardiovascular Research 2002 56(1):118-125; doi:10.1016/S0008-6363(02)00514-X
© 2002 by European Society of Cardiology
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Copyright © 2002, European Society of Cardiology

Effects of a ‘healthy’ diet and of acute and long-term vitamin C on vascular function in healthy older subjects

Nivedita Singha, Jonathan Gravesa, Paul D Taylora,1, Raymond J MacAllisterb and Donald R.J Singera,*

aDepartment of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, St. George’s Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, Tooting, London SW17 0RE, UK
bCentre for Clinical Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK

1 Current address: Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, Dept. of Women’s Health, St. Thomas’ Hospital, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, UK.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44-208-725-5641; fax: +44-208-725-5641 d.singer{at}sghms.ac.uk

Objective: Aging is associated with endothelial dysfunction. We studied the acute and longer-term effects of vitamin C compared to a ‘Mediterranean-type’ diet on endothelial function in healthy older subjects. Methods: Bilateral venous occlusion plethysmography was used to measure forearm blood flow in subjects aged 57–80 years. Responses to cumulative intra-arterial doses of the endothelium-dependent dilator bradykinin (BK; n=56; 20, 40, 80 pmol/min) and the nitric oxide donor glyceryl trinitrate (GTN; n=54; 4, 8, 16 nmol/min), were determined alone and in the presence of vitamin C (25 mg/min). We then randomised 54 subjects to a ‘healthy’ diet (n=18), vitamin C (1 g/day; n=18) or placebo for 6 weeks and reassessed endothelial and smooth muscle function. Results: Acute intra-arterial vitamin C did not alter dilatation to BK or GTN. Similar increases in plasma vitamin C occurred on oral vitamin C (83±4 to135±8 µmol/l) and ‘healthy’ diet (84±5 to135±27 µmol/l; P<0.01 for both), with no change seen on placebo. Treatment with a ‘healthy’ diet but not oral vitamin C improved endothelium-dependent (P=0.043) and endothelium-independent dilatation (P=0.011). Conclusions: A ‘Mediterranean-type’ diet rich in vitamin C improves vascular function. Neither acute intra-arterial nor sustained administration of oral vitamin C improves vascular function in healthy older subjects.

KEYWORDS Aging; Endothelial function; Nitric oxide

{star} The work was performed in the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, St. George’s Hospital Medical School, London, UK.


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