Vitamin C: Part of the Formula for Healthy Bones

Healthnotes Newswire (October 16, 2008)—Eating an abundance of fruits and vegetables and taking supplements such as calcium and vitamin D may all be important steps for keeping bones strong and healthy. Now new research suggests that other nutrients such as vitamin C may play an important role in bone health, and this may be especially true as we age.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help keep the body’s immune system strong, reduce inflammation, and support the formation of collagen, an important protein in connective tissue. Now research suggests that vitamin C may also prevent changes in the body that lead to age-related bone loss.

Significant bone loss, called osteoporosis, is a common condition that affects more than ten million people in the US. A person loses bone density from the natural process of aging, as a side effect from medications, or as a result of certain medical conditions. When bone density is lost, bones become weaker and more susceptible to fractures.

Osteoporosis occurs most commonly in women but also affects men. It can be difficult to treat, so the impact of nutrition and other prevention and treatment options that may keep bones healthy should be fully explored.

Vitamin C may prevent bone loss in senior men

The Journal of Nutrition published a study showing the association of vitamin C and bone loss in participants of the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Among men who never smoked, higher vitamin C intake (from both diet and supplements) was associated with greater bone mineral density of the hip. In contrast, higher vitamin C intake did not protect against bone loss in male smokers; to the contrary, higher vitamin C intake was associated with lower bone density in that group. No association was seen between vitamin C and bone density among women in this study.

The authors warn that the interaction between nutrition and health is complex. Vitamin C may protect bone health by combining with other important nutrients found in a healthy diet. “Fruit- and vegetable-specific antioxidants may play a role in osteoporosis prevention or treatment,” said Shivani Sahni and her colleagues from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. “Hence, more studies are required to clarify the role of fruit- and vegetable-specific antioxidants such as vitamin C in the prevention of osteoporosis.”

The negative association between vitamin C intake and bone density among male smokers was unexpected and difficult to explain. Smoking depletes vitamin C, and other studies have shown that increasing vitamin C intake improves overall health in smokers.

Tips for adding vitamin C to the diet

• Vitamin C can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables and especially in citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits, and vegetables such as tomatoes and broccoli.

• The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C in healthy adults is 75 mg per day for women and 90 mg per day for men and higher amounts may be required for pregnant women or women who are breast-feeding.

• People who smoke may require an additional 35 mg per day of vitamin C compared with nonsmokers.

• Talk with your doctor about whether or not you would benefit from vitamin C supplements based on your current health needs.

(J Nutr 2008;138:1931–8)