What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Other. Population: Healthy aging (n=25). Intervention: Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) vs. Baseline. Primary outcome: Peripheral BP, heart rate, carotid artery compliance, central BP, carotid AIx, and aortic PWV (p=> 0.26).

What does this research mean for the field?

Acute infusion and short-term moderate daily supplementation of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) do not improve large elastic artery compliance or central blood pressure in young or older healthy men, indicating these age-related adverse changes are not mediated by ascorbic acid-sensitive oxidative stress. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

March 12, 2004

Ascorbic acid does not affect large elastic artery compliance or central blood pressure in young and older men

Key Result

Neither acute intravenous infusion nor 30-day supplementation of ascorbic acid affected large elastic artery compliance or central blood pressure in young and older healthy men (all P > 0.26).

Structured PICO

Does ascorbic acid administration improve large elastic artery compliance and central blood pressure in young and older healthy men?

Population

Young (26 +/- 1 yr) and older (63 +/- 2 yr) healthy men. Acute infusion group: n=13 young, n=12 older. Chronic supplementation group: n=10 young, n=10 older.

Intervention

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) administered acutely via intravenous infusion and chronically via oral supplementation (500 mg/day for 30 days).

Comparator

Baseline measurements prior to ascorbic acid administration.

Outcome

Large elastic artery compliance (carotid artery compliance) and central blood pressure.surrogate

Ascorbic acid administration, either acutely via infusion or chronically via oral supplementation, does not improve age-related reductions in large elastic artery compliance or central blood pressure in healthy men.

Main Result

p-value: p=> 0.26

Abstract

Large elastic artery compliance is reduced and arterial blood pressure (BP) is increased in the central (cardiothoracic) circulation with aging. Reactive oxygen species may tonically modulate central arterial compliance and BP in humans, and oxidative stress may contribute to adverse changes with aging. If so, antioxidant administration may have beneficial effects. Young (Y; 26 +/- 1 yr, mean +/- SE) and older (O; 63 +/- 2 yr, mean +/- SE) healthy men were studied at baseline and during acute (intravenous infusion; Y: n = 13, O: n = 12) and chronic (500 mg/day for 30 days; Y: n = 10, O: n = 10) administration of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). At baseline, peripheral (brachial artery) BP did not differ in the two groups, but carotid artery compliance was 43% lower (1.2 +/- 0.1 vs. 2.1 +/- 0.1 mm(2)/mmHg x 10(-1), P 0.26). These results indicate that the adverse changes in large elastic artery compliance and central BP with aging in healthy men are not 1). mediated by ascorbic acid-sensitive oxidative stress (infusion experiments) and 2). affected by short-term, moderate daily ascorbic acid (vitamin C) supplementation.

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