The health effects of vitamin C supplementation: a review.
A comprehensive review of the literature indicates that populations with long-term consumption of higher than RDA levels of vitamin C (> or = 60 mg/day) from foods and/or supplements have reduced risks of cancer at several sites, cardiovascular disease, and cataracts. The safety of higher than RDA intakes of vitamin C is confirmed in eight placebo-controlled, double-blind studies and six non-placebo clinical trials in which up to 10,000 mg of vitamin C was consumed daily for up to 3 years. There are no clinical data which suggest that vitamin C's enhancement of non-heme iron absorption in individuals with low iron status could be a critical factor in the possible increased risk of heterozygous hemochromatosis-related cardiovascular disease. In fact, the cumulative data do not confirm that iron status is related to risk of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, higher than RDA intakes of vitamin C have been associated with several indices of lowered cardiovascular disease risk including increases in HDL, and decreases in LDL oxidation, blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality.
Bendich
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A
Hoffman La-Roche Inc., Paramus, New Jersey 07652, USA.
Langseth
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L
D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002386:Cataract / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control
D007501:Iron; D001205:Ascorbic Acid