Using Vitamin C To Protect Your Heart


by: S. L. Baker, (NaturalNews)

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 5.7 million people in the US suffer from heart failure and it takes the lives of about 300,000 Americans each year. Currently, heart failure has no cure although certain medications and lifestyle changes can help many people live longer; in severe cases some heart failure patients undergo heart transplants. But now there's a new treatment that could dramatically help heart failure patients. And it's not a new type of surgery or Big Pharma prescription -- it's plain old vitamin C.

These findings were just announced at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011, underway in Orlando, Florida. "We found that adequate intake of vitamin C was associated with longer survival in patients with heart failure," Eun Kyeung Song, Ph.D., R.N., lead author of the study and assistant professor at the Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, in the University of Ulsan in Korea, said in a media statement.

Heart failure is a common and often deadly condition that results when the heart can't pump an adequate amount of oxygen and nutrient rich blood through the body. The symptoms that result can include fatigue, loss of appetite, fluid build-up and kidney failure. Shortness of breath also occurs when heart failure causes blood to back up behind the heart, leading to increased pressure or fluid in the lungs.

For the new study headed by Dr. Song, the researchers worked with 212 patients with an average age of 61. Approximately 45 percent of the participants had moderate to severe heart failure. When the scientists tested their vitamin C levels, they found that heart failure patients with low levels of the vitamin had the highest levels of high sensitivity C-Reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker for inflammation and a risk factor for heart disease. Those with lower vitamin C levels in the body also had more major cardiac events and higher death rates.

Low vitamin C levels linked to higher death rate 

Specifically, heart failure patients in the study who had low vitamin C intake were 2.4 times more likely to have higher levels of hsCRP compared to patients with higher levels of the vitamin. Study participants with low vitamin C intake and hsCRP over 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) were also about twice as likely to die from heart disease within one year of follow-up.

"Increased levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein means a worsening of heart failure," Dr. Song explained. "An adequate level of vitamin C is associated with lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. This results in a longer cardiac event-free survival in patients."

It turns out heart failure patients may be at increased risk of too little vitamin C because they are regularly prescribed diuretic drugs to help the body get rid of excess fluid. In the media statement, Terry Lennie, Ph.D., R.N., a study author and associate dean of Ph.D. studies in the College of Nursing at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, pointed out that vitamin C is water soluble and diuretics, also known as "water pills", increase the amount of water excreted from the kidneys which also takes C out of the body.

So what is it about vitamin C that appears to be extremely advantageous to people with heart failure? Dr. Song and colleagues pointed out that inflammation seems to play an important role in heart failure and a lack of vitamin C could contribute to that problem. On the other hand, taking in adequate vitamin C appears to significantly lessen inflammation.

Source: www.naturalnews.com/034146...

How much vitamin C do you take each day and in what form do you take it?
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Previous Comments

Mohamad commented on 16-Nov-2011 05:55 PM5 out of 5 stars
I try to maintain a daily intake of 3,000 mg in capsules or timed-release capsules. Sometimes drinks in addition to all the juice and fruit.
Twiggileigh commented on 16-Nov-2011 08:24 PM5 out of 5 stars
I take 2.5 g (2,500 mg) of Vitamin C every day. After reading Linus Pauling's book, 'How to Live Longer and Feel Better,' I was convinced that we all need more Vitamin C.
Kathy S commented on 16-Nov-2011 10:31 PM5 out of 5 stars
Thanks for the great information. My husband suffers from congestive heart failure. He currently uses CPTG Essential Oils. We will add vitamin C to his regiment as well.
Anonymous commented on 16-Nov-2011 10:46 PM5 out of 5 stars
6000 mg
Dena commented on 16-Nov-2011 11:29 PM5 out of 5 stars
We take Liposomal Vitamin C. The best we have found on the market. I take 1500 twice a day.
Furry Gang commented on 16-Nov-2011 11:42 PM5 out of 5 stars
It is much better to use pure vitamin C powder (crystals) than timed - release tablets (well, any tablets in general) as you consume all that other stuff such as bulking agents, anti-caking agents, sweeteners and many other nasty things. Linus Pauling
was taking around 18 grams vitamin C a day! More the better I suppose!
Anonymous commented on 16-Nov-2011 11:42 PM5 out of 5 stars
Linus Pauling would cheer you on, so simple, Wobenzyme is excellent for elevated C reactive protein. www.vitaminking.com To the good health for all.
Thefarnz commented on 17-Nov-2011 03:33 AM5 out of 5 stars
I take 4000-6000 mg per day in powder form (100% L-ascorbic acid, not made in China). Been doing it for a couples of years. Don't get sick, ever. I source it from the Vitamin C Foundation.
Silvia Danino commented on 19-Nov-2011 07:34 AM5 out of 5 stars
I take it every day! the best protein shake full of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzimes, fatty acids and all that the body needs daily!
Anonymous commented on 20-Nov-2011 01:47 AM5 out of 5 stars
I take 1000 mg. daily of an organic, whole-food, synbiotic Vitamin C. Such enhanced potency eliminates the need for mega-dose supplementation. To complement the benefits of the whole-food vitamin C, 19 of the most revered immunosupportive and antioxidant
rich herbs and mushrooms are added to this particular product including astragalus, reishi, cinnamon, and oregano.
Teri Gouldner commented on 20-Nov-2011 02:24 PM5 out of 5 stars
www.pureredox.com is about redox signaling molecules. In case you haven't heard about these molecules they are what your body creates to support the immune system. They are so important that the body manufactures its own supply with in the cells. 1 set
of these molecules is responsible for activating anti oxidants. Here's the deal no matter how many antioxidants you ingest they can't fight even 1 free radical until they're activated, so these molecules are important. The other set of molecules are essential
for cellular communication, cellular protection, and the healing response. So it's easy to see why your own body makes these molecules. And until now the body was the only source but today there's 1 more: ASEA
buBBles commented on 20-Nov-2011 04:17 PM5 out of 5 stars
Strangely, every time I start taking Vitamin C, usually when I would start to feel sick, and I would always end up getting a cold quickly. As though the Vit C makes it happen or speeds it up. It has happened enough to recognize the pattern. Anyone have
any ideas why this may happen?!
Christine commented on 29-Nov-2011 08:13 PM5 out of 5 stars
Here is your answer, buBBles. The most recent research on high doses of synthetic vitamins such as vitamin C shows that such megadoses actually TURN OFF the cell's own defence system. There is a growing concern within the scientific community that vitamins
are not just creating harmless but 'expensive urine'. Rather they are now seen to be potentially harmful - moreso in some people than in others. Although there are studies which seem to indicate benefit, there are many more which conclude that they are harmful;
in fact, some clinical trials have been stopped early because the group taking the vitamins (typically alpha-tocopherol)died at a rate faster than the placebo group. There is still much to learn about this but there is no doubt that there is risk. The effect
is seen powerfully in athletes where the adverse effects of antioxidant vitamin supplements are becoming better known. A number of published studies show that high levels of antioxidant supplements prevent the beneficial effects of exercise on health, including
protection against diabetes. We now know that cells 'turn on' their own very powerful defence systems by signals which activate specific protective genes. What high doses of antioxidant supplements do is to block these signals. The way to activate these signals
is to take supplements which have a nutrigenomic effect. The Sulforaphane derived from 100% whole broccoli sprouts is the most powerful known natural plant-derived compound capable of activating the cell's own defences. To the many people on this site who
proudly posted their high daily intake levels of vitamin C, may I suggest that you keep an open mind and search for the evidence for this yourself. Just because we have followed the antioxidant theory for 60 years doesn't make it right!
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