Can vitamin C prevent heart attacks?

Last week, I showed you how vitamin C is a powerful weapon in the treatment of diabetes. And you already know that it fights infection and other illnesses. Now there's evidence this nutrient can lower your blood pressure and prevent heart attacks.

Conventional doctors in Italy performed a study on high blood pressure using intravenous vitamin C. In the study, the researchers used just 3 grams of vitamin C by a five-minute intravenous infusion. They gave it to 12 patients with "essential hypertension."

Sympathetic nervous system activity dropped by 11%. It lowered blood pressure by about 7% on average. And it lowered diastolic blood pressure by 9% (it didn't lower systolic blood pressure significantly). The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the tone of your arteries. Higher activity causes more constriction. And that causes higher pressure.

The study's conclusion? Vitamin C works! The lead author said: "Our study demonstrated for the first time in humans that we can reduce sympathetic nervous system over-activity, and consequently blood pressure, (by) targeting oxidative stress."

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I agree that they may have found the mechanism by which vitamin C quiets the sympathetic nervous system. However, they are not the first to discover its benefits. Alternative doctors have known this for years. And I showed you last week how vitamin C targets oxidative stress. But the important thing here is that you can lower your blood pressure using vitamin C.

However, don't run out and get intravenous vitamin C unless you have a major infection or cancer. Instead, take steps to reduce the oxidative stress in your arteries. You will do that by adhering to a good diet, together with the use of targeted nutritional supplements, including 1-3 grams of oral vitamin C, three times daily. It might take the higher dose range to lower your blood pressure. Over time, it just might tone down your sympathetic nervous system and relax some blood vessels. We know it can relax your bowels, so it will likely work on your blood vessels too.

Chelation therapy is another terrific way to reduce oxidative stress. It removes the toxic metals that stimulate the damage. And we've known for years that chelation can erase heart problems. I've found that intravenous vitamin C and chelation have similar effects clinically. It's possible vitamin C, like chelation, can greatly reduce your risk of having a heart attack.

Yours for better health and medical freedom,

Saturday Sep 20 2008 (foodconsumer.org).