Antioxidant vitamin C prevents decline in endothelial function during sitting

Med Sci Monit. 2015 Apr 7:21:1015-21. doi: 10.12659/MSM.893192.

Abstract

Background: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that antioxidant Vitamin C prevents the impairment of endothelial function during prolonged sitting.

Material and methods: Eleven men (24.2 ± 4.4 yrs) participated in 2 randomized 3-h sitting trials. In the sitting without vitamin C (SIT) and the sitting with vitamin C (VIT) trial, participants were seated for 3 h without moving their legs. Additionally, in the VIT trial, participants ingested 2 vitamin C tablets (1 g and 500 mg) at 30 min and 1 h 30 min, respectively. Superficial femoral artery (SFA) flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured hourly for 3 h.

Results: By a 1-way ANOVA, there was a significant decline in FMD during 3 h of SIT (p<0.001). Simultaneously, there was a significant decline in antegrade (p=0.04) and mean (0.037) shear rates. For the SIT and VIT trials by a 2-way (trial x time) repeated measures ANOVA, there was a significant interaction (p=0.001). Pairwise testing revealed significant between-SFA FMD in the SIT and VIT trial at each hour after baseline, showing that VIT prevented the decline in FMD 1 h (p=0.009), 2 h (p=0.016), and 3 h (p=0.004). There was no difference in the shear rates between SIT and VIT trials (p>0.05).

Conclusions: Three hours of sitting resulted in impaired SFA FMD. Antioxidant Vitamin C prevented the decline in SFA FMD, suggesting that oxidative stress may contribute to the impairment in endothelial function during sitting.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Ascorbic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Demography
  • Endothelium, Vascular / drug effects*
  • Endothelium, Vascular / physiopathology*
  • Femoral Artery / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Posture*
  • Regional Blood Flow / drug effects
  • Vasodilation / drug effects

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Ascorbic Acid