EFFECT OF VITAMIN-C ON LIPOPROTEINS IN HEALTHY-ADULTS

Background : it has been suggested that vitamin C can modify the compo sition of lipoproteins in healthy subjects. Objective : to determine t he possible modification of lipid levels in the presence of vitamin C, and the effect of various doses on lipid levels. Design : this is a s equential open clinical trial, where the same individuals are used as their own controls, and where the same observer at random administers 1 or 2 g of oral vitamin C during a month, followed by a further month without treatment. Patients : 124 healthy volunteers of both sexes, b etween 17 and 74 years of age, whose lifestyle was not modified during the study. Measurement : at the beginning of the study a determinatio n was made of lipid levels, risk factors such as age, physical activit y, tobacco and alcohol use, weight and arterial pressure ; at the end of the first month during vitamin C therapy, and again at the end of t he second month without therapy, lipid levels were determined, namely, TG, TC, HDL-C, HDL2-C, HDL3-C, LDL-C, ApoA1, ApoB and Lp(a). Results: after one month of treatment with 2 grams of vitamin C, a significant decrease of ApoB was observed, namely, 5.5 % in females and 8 % in ma les (p = 0.019). Vitamin C treatment shows the following differential data : a negative correlation of Lp(a) with HDL3-C, in both sexes ; in males, the positive correlation of age with LDL-C and the negative co rrelation of tobacco with HDL-C disappear, positive correlations appea r between physical activity and HDL-C, between tobacco and LDL-C, betw een weight and ApoB, between SBP and TG, and between DBP and ApoB ; in females, the positive correlation between weight and TG, and the nega tive correlation between weight and HDL-C both disappear, negative cor relations appear between physical activity and both TC and ApoB, betwe en weight and HDL3-C, a positive correlation appears between DBP and H DL2-C. Compared to non-drinkers, in males who consume less than 50 gra ms of alcohol daily, vitamin C produces a significant decrease in DHL3 -C, while the significant increase in Lp(a) disappears. Conclusions : from the results in the follow-up of this group of healthy individuals , it can be deduced that vitamin C produces a decrease in ApoB in both sexes where 2 g are administered daily. When the risk factors are cor related, the results vary substantially, particularly with reference t o the sex of the individuals. Women benefit much more than men from vi tamin C therapy, especially when physical activity, weight and diastol ic blood pressure are considered. Compared to non-drinkers, male drink ers demonstrate a decrease in HDL3-C, and the significant increase in Lp(a) disappears.