"Orange Juice cuts the risk of strokes"

Daily Mail 11 November 2003

People with low daily intakes of vitamin C were 30% more likely to have a stroke than those who consume the most.

Dutch scientists studied 5,197 healthy people aged 55 or over for 6.5 years. Those with the largest intake of 133mg or more a day were 30% less likely to have a stroke than those who consumed the least vit C - under 95mg. Smokers who took large daily amounts of vitamin C were 70% less likely to have a stroke than those who consumed a low dose.

More about Vitamin C

December 2003 - Oranges 'cut cancer risk' Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation claims that eating oranges can cut the risk of cancer by as much as 50%. Researchers also claim that eating an extra serving can reduce the risk of a stroke by 19 per cent. The findings are based on 48 international studies on the health effects of citrus fruits. Of all citrus fruits, oranges are thought to contain the highest level of antioxidants, which 'mop up' harmful toxins called free radicals. They strengthen the immune system and fight the growth of tumours. There is also convincing evidence of the positive effects of citrus fruit consumption on obesity and Type 2 diabetes, because the fruit is low in fat and energy. Source: Daily Mail

Other items of interest

More on the function of Vitamin C

7 November 2003 - Vitamin C lowers the risk of stroke A study carried out in Rotterdam, due to be published in the journal 'Neurology', has found that consuming more vitamin C can help decrease the risk of stroke, especially among smokers. It found that people with less than 95mg of Vitamin C in their diets were 30 per cent more likely to have a stroke than people consuming more than 133mg of vitamin C a day. Among smokers, those with diets rich in Vitamin C were 70 per cent less likely to have a stroke than those with diets deficient in the vitamin. The study looked at 5,197 people aged 55 or over who had never had a stroke, over a period of six years, during which time 253 patients had strokes. Source: Financial Times

30 October 2003 - Keep taking the vitamin tablets Dr Thomas Stuttaford argues that if a person's diet and lifestyle are less than perfect, warmth and vitamin C can keep colds at bay, despite some scientists' views to the contrary. He adds that a drawback of taking additional vitamin C is that it can upset the guts. He suggests that the way to avoid this is to take vitamin C made from Ester-C. This is a combination of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and calcium carbonate. It is well tolerated, well absorbed and gives high levels of intra-cellular vitamin C without a corresponding increase in plasma levels. Ester-C is sold in a range of brands available in high-street shops. Source: Times 2