Vitamin C may lower BP, sugar levels in diabetics

Melbourne: Taking vitamin C supplements can help diabetics by lowering elevated blood sugar levels throughout the day, a study has found.

The research, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, also found that vitamin C lowered blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes, suggesting benefits for heart health too. According to Glenn Wadley from Deakin University in Australia, the results may help millions currently living with the health condition.

''We found that participants had a significant 36 per cent drop in the blood sugar spike after meals. This also meant that they spent almost three hours less per day living in a state of hyperglycaemia," Wadley said. "This is extremely positive news as hyperglycaemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in people living with type 2 diabetes," he said.

"We also found that the proportion of people with hypertension halved after taking the vitamin C capsules, with both their systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels dropping significantly," Wadley added. The dose of vitamin C used in the study was about 10 times the normal dietary intake and readily available from most health food stores, researchers said.

"Vitamin C's antioxidant properties can help counteract the high levels of free radicals found in people with diabetes, and it's encouraging to see this benefits a number of the disease's common comorbidities, such as high blood pressure," he said. "While physical activity, good nutrition and current diabetes medications are standard care and very important for managing type 2 diabetes, some people can find it tough to manage their blood glucose levels even with medication," he added.