Circulation

Multivitamins, fish oil, and vitamin C improve circulation, heart health

Multivitamins, fish oil, reduced heart and circulatory events

Doctors analyzed findings from a long-term study covering 69,990 participants, aged 45 and older, who periodically filled out food, supplement, and lifestyle questionnaires.

Over the 10-year follow-up period, overall, obesity increased to 35.2 from 26.9 percent, and heart and circulatory disease increased to 29.2 from 15.6 percent. Those who regularly took a multivitamin-mineral or fish oil were 19 and 11 percent, respectively, less likely to develop heart or circulatory disease, and were less likely to be obese. Those who took calcium were also less likely to be obese.

Those who combined taking multivitamin-minerals over the long-term along with a healthy diet were least likely to develop heart or circulatory problems, or to be obese.

Reference: Chinese Journal of Physiology; 2021, Vol. 64, No. 1, 16-23

Vitamin C reduced exercise blood pressure

In this study, 24 people with type 2 diabetes, average age 53, took a placebo or 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day for six weeks, stopped for six weeks, then switched groups for six weeks. After each six-week study phase, everyone took a 20-minute cycling test at 33 percent of peak oxygen consumption. Doctors measured blood pressure and other factors before and after exercise.

During the vitamin C phases, systolic blood pressure was lower at every time except immediately after exercise, and nitric oxide (NO) levels were higher at all times. NO helps blood vessels relax and dilate. A sign of oxidative stress, MDA, was also lower at all points, as well. None of these improvements appeared during the placebo phases.

Reference: Chinese Journal of Physiology; 2021, Vol. 64, No. 1, 16-23