Rense: Vit C Helps Prevent Peptic Ulcers, Stomach Cancer

August 4, 2003

I thought this might be of interest...

Misty L. Trepke

Vitamin C Helps Prevent Peptic Ulcers, Stomach Cancer

8-3-3

(ANI) -- People who consume a vitamin C-rich diet on a regular basis

are less likely to develop peptic ulcers or stomach cancer, says a

new study.

Published in the August 1 issue of the Journal of the American

College of Nutrition, researchers said: " This is the largest study

to look at the relationship between vitamin C levels and infection

by Helicobacter pylori. "

H. pylori is an ulcer-causing bacteria.

Joel A. Simon, staff physician at San Francisco VA Medical Centre

and associate professor of medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics

at University of California at San Francisco and his collaborators

tested stored blood samples for H. pylori infection from a random

sample of nearly 7,000 participants aged between two months and 90

years.

Samples of nearly a third (32 percent) of the participants tested

positive for antibodies to H. pylori, indicating that their immune

systems had previously mounted an attack against the bacteria.

More than half of those who tested positive showed evidence of

infection by the particularly toxic strain of the bacteria.

In addition to testing for H. pylori infection, the researchers also

analyzed Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, levels in the blood of the

participants and found that those with the highest blood levels of

vitamin C had a 25 percent lower prevalence of infection.

" Some studies using animal models suggest that adequate Vitamin C

intake may reduce infection with these bacteria. The bottom line is

that higher levels of vitamin C may have the potential to prevent

peptic ulcers and stomach cancer, " said Simon.

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