A lot is said about the importance of vitamin C for our health and well being. Fortunately, this vitamin can be found in a great deal of natural sources like foods and herbal remedies. Still, we should control our vitamin C consumption and be sure that our body receives enough of it. According to the most recent findings of an expert team from South Korea, vitamin C deficiency is linked not only to increased risks of suffering from all bunch of respiratory problems, but also to much higher chances to develop serious health conditions and even die from a cardiovascular disease within a very small time period of just one year.
The study was carried out by a group of scientists from University of Ulsan in South Korea, and the findings were presented this winter at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions. The trials involving 212 participants of the average age of 61, 45 per cent of those were people with moderate and high risks of heart failure, included a close analysis of the participants’ daily diet. It was found out that 39 per cent of the participants suffered obvious vitamin C deficiency. 
Extended blood tests and other tests have shown that those patients who had a lack of vitamin C also had higher levels of hsCRP, a protein that increases chances of inflammations and heart problems.
A year later, the participants’ health condition was evaluated again. It turned out that 29 per cent of the participants (61 individual) suffered from various cardiac events, starting from visiting emergency department to treat cardiac problems and ending up with death. The tests and analysis helped the scientists come to a conclusion that such factor as vitamin C deficiency associated with increased levels of hsCRP protein in the blood is linked to higher risks of having cardiovascular problems.
One of the study leaders, Eun Kyeung Song, assistant professor in nursing, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, commented on the findings of his colleagues as the following: “We found that adequate intake of vitamin C was associated with longer survival in patients with heart failure.” He said that those people who have vitamin C deficiency and hsCRP concentration in blood exceeding 3 mg for 1 liter, can have more than twice higher chances to lose their life as a result of serious cardiovascular condition. Also, Eun Kyeung Song underlined that those people who can not consume a diet rich in natural vitamin C can use special supplement and dietary supplements with this important vitamin.
Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.
