While researchers warn that increasing diabetes rates point to an "epidemic," a long-term study indicates that getting enough vitamin C can dramatically lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the University of Cambridge in England looked at 21,831 healthy, non-diabetic participants. Vitamin C levels were measured in plasma, and food frequency questionnaires were administered upon enrollment between 1993 and 1997. Over a 12-year follow-up period, 423 men and 312 women developed diabetes.
People who took in the most vitamin C dramatically lowered their risk.
After careful analysis, scientists discovered a strong protective effect of high vitamin C levels against diabetes. They found that those in the top 20% of plasma vitamin C had a 62% lower adjusted risk of developing diabetes compared with those in the lowest intake group. Those with the highest fruit and vegetable intake also had a 22% lower diabetes risk than subjects whose intake was lowest.
The study is thought to be the first to examine the association of plasma vitamin C and the development of diabetes. The findings suggest that suboptimal levels of vitamin C are present before the onset of the disease.
"The strong independent association observed in this prospective study, together with biological plausibility, provides persuasive evidence of a beneficial effect of vitamin C and fruit and vegetable intake on diabetes risk," the authors conclude. "Because fruit and vegetables are the main sources of vitamin C, the findings suggest that eating even a small quantity of fruit and vegetables may be beneficial and that the protection against diabetes increases progressively with the quantity of fruit and vegetables consumed."
Source: Archives of Internal Medicine, July 28, 2008
