Vitamin C may 'mimic' benefits of exercise: study

Washington, Sept 6: Taking vitamin C supplements daily may have similar cardiovascular benefits as regular exercise in overweight and obese adults, a new study has claimed.

Overweight and obese adults are advised to exercise to improve their health, but more than 50 per cent do not do so, researchers said.

New research conducted at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has now suggested that taking vitamin C supplements daily can have similar cardiovascular benefits as regular exercise in these adults.

The blood vessels of overweight and obese adults have elevated activity of the small vessel-constricting protein endothelin (ET)-1.

Because of the high ET-1 activity, these vessels are more prone to constricting, becoming less responsive to blood flow demand and increasing risk of developing vascular disease.

Exercise has been shown to reduce ET-1 activity, but incorporating an exercise regimen into a daily routine can be challenging.

The study examined whether vitamin C supplements, which have been reported to improve vessel function, can also lower ET-1 activity.

The researchers found that daily supplementation of vitamin C (500 mg/day) reduced ET-1-related vessel constriction as much as walking for exercise did.

Vitamin C supplementation represents an effective lifestyle strategy for reducing ET-1-mediated vessel constriction in overweight and obese adults, the researchers said.

PTI