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Cited by 117Cardiovascular Health and Disease PreventionNitric Oxide and Endothelin EffectsAntioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress

Oral Vitamin C Reduces Arterial Stiffness and Platelet Aggregation in Humans

Wilkinson, I. B., Megson, I. L., MacCallum, H., Sogo, N., Cockcroft, J. R., Webb, D. J.·1999·Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology
DOI 10.1097/00005344-199911000-00010
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Abstract

Atherosclerosis is associated with stiffening of conduit arteries and increased platelet activation, partly as a result of reduced bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO), a mediator that normally has a variety of protective effects on blood vessels and platelets. Increased levels of oxygen free radicals are a feature of atherosclerosis that contributes to reduced NO bioavailability and might lead to increased arterial stiffness and platelet activation. Vitamin C is a dietary antioxidant that inactivates oxygen free radicals. This placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study was designed to establish whether acute oral administration of vitamin C (2 g), would reduce arterial stiffness and in vitro platelet aggregation in healthy male volunteers. Plasma vitamin C concentrations increased from 42+/-8 to 104+/-8 microM at 6 h after oral administration, and were associated with a significant reduction in augmentation index, a measure of arterial stiffness (by 9.6+/-3.0%; p = 0.016), and ADP-induced platelet aggregation (by 35+/-13%; p = 0.046). There was no change in these parameters after placebo. Vitamin C, therefore, appears to have beneficial effects, even in healthy subjects. The mechanism responsible is likely to involve protection of NO from inactivation by oxygen free radicals, but this requires confirmation. If similar effects are observed in patients with atherosclerosis or risk factors, vitamin C supplementation might prove an effective therapy in cardiovascular disease.

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  • Oral administration of 2 g of vitamin C in healthy populations helped to reduce platelet aggregation and arterial stiffness, but the exact mechanism has not been fully explored.

    “Oral administration of 2 g of vitamin C in healthy populations helped to reduce aggregation platelet and arterial stiffness, however, the exact mechanism has not been fully explored (Wilkinson et al. 1999).”

    From Reactive Oxygen Species, Toxicity, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants: Chronic Diseases and Aging (2023) · cites this paper as Wilkinson et al. 1999

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Authors
Wilkinson, I. B., Megson, I. L., MacCallum, H., Sogo, N., Cockcroft, J. R., & Webb, D. J.
Affiliations
Western General Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Megson, I. L.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
1999-11
Volume
34
Issue
5
Pages
690-693
ISSN
0160-2446 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1097/00005344-199911000-00010
OpenAlex
W2093748050
Cited by
117
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 8 · 2012: 3
FWCI
4.36
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Wellcome Trust
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
Keywords
vitamin C, arterial stiffness, platelet aggregation, atherosclerosis, nitric oxide bioavailability, oxygen free radicals, antioxidant supplementation, augmentation index, ADP-induced aggregation, plasma vitamin C concentration, cardiovascular disease prevention
MeSH terms
Administration, Oral, Adult, Antioxidants, Arteries, Ascorbic Acid, Blood Platelets, Double-Blind Method, Hemodynamics, Humans, Male, Placebos, Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors, Vascular Diseases

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