Inflammation is increasingly being linked to a number of disease such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, and also to the development of obesity. Increased levels of oxidative stress are associated with inflammation, and this may be the reason that antioxidant nutrients are protective against some diseases. Vitamin C levels show a negative association with obesity, but it is difficult to attribute cause and effect. Evidence suggests that obesity results from a metabolic disorder that increases white adipocyte size and numbers, and this then results in chronic inflammation. This inflammation causes oxidative stress and this depletes the body of antioxidants. In other research plasma glutathione concentrations are negatively associated with total mortality, suggesting that oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in disease. Glutathione and vitamin C levels are positively associated, and it has been shown that supplemental vitamin C is able to raise intracellular levels of glutathione.
Researchers1 have investigated the association between antioxidants and mortality in elderly subjects between 75 to 84 years, by measuring plasma antioxidant levels in blood samples and interviewing them using a frequent food questionnaire. Total mortality was compiled after a 4.4 year follow up and estimates were made for dietary antioxidants. The results showed that there was a strong inverse trend between plasma vitamin C levels and total and cardiovascular mortality. Individuals with the lowest levels of vitamin C in their plasma had the highest mortality, whereas those with the highest plasma vitamin C had the lowest mortality. These results remained after removal of all subjects who had cancer or cardiovascular disease at baseline. Other antioxidant nutrients were not associated with mortality. These results support earlier studies that suggest plasma vitamin C is inversely associated with total mortality
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