THURSDAY, June 6, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- If you're an overweight man with hypertension, you just might want to toss aside that burger and fries and grab a couple of oranges.
Low levels of vitamin C in your blood stream may put you at increased risk of stroke, Finnish researchers report in the June issue of Stroke.
They found that men with blood vitamin C levels in the lowest quarter -- less than 28.4 micromoles per liter (umol/L) -- had a 2.1 times higher risk of stroke compared to men in the highest quarter -- more than 64.96 umol/L.
The likelihood of stroke was even higher for men who also had hypertension or were overweight. The study included 2,419 Finnish men whose ages ranged between 42 and 60.
The researchers say there is a moderate correlation between vitamin C intake and the amount of vitamin C circulating in your blood. The men with the lowest blood vitamin C levels in this study had a daily vitamin C intake equal to what's found in half a glass of orange juice.
A possible effect of vitamin C is that it enhances endothelial function, which inhibits artery clogging and lowers blood pressure, the researchers say.
They add, however, that vitamin C alone may not be responsible for their findings. The link found in this study could be simply that people who take vitamin C supplements or eat vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables may be more health-conscious than the others.
More information
The National Institute on Aging offers a guide to strokes and stroke prevention.
