Vitamins C and E may Help Bone Health in the Elderly

by | Mar 7, 2013 | 2010, Aging, Bone Health, Vitamin C, Vitamin E

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Research concludes that “1000 mgs of ascorbic acid and 400 IU of Vitamin E is beneficial for preventing or helping with the treatment of age-related osteoporosis”.

The metabolic reactions that occur during the act of breathing, while keeping us alive, also increase a cell-damaging process called oxidation (1). While the body has several natural mechanisms to fight oxidation in the form of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (2), we can supplement our diet with antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E which can “contribute significantly” to minimizing oxidation (3).

One process that is susceptible to [glossy term=”oxidative damage”] as we age is bone formation.  After the age of 40, the rate of bone breakdown is greater than that of bone formation, causing a decrease in bone mass which can eventually lead to osteoporosis and cause an increase in bone fragility and a greater risk of fractures (4). According to the latest statistics from the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 34 million Americans have osteoporosis, 10 million more are at risk, and by 2025 osteoporosis will be responsible for approximately three million fractures and $25.3 billion in costs each year (5).

Now research (6) suggests that vitamins C (ascorbic acid) and E (alpha-tocopherol) may help maintain bone health in the eldery. In the study, 90 patients between the ages of 60 and 76 were equally divided (30 subjects) into 3 age-paired groups and received one of the following for one year:

– 500 mg ascorbic acid with 400 IU vitamin E
– 1,000 mg ascorbic acid with 400 IU vitamin E
– A placebo

Blood samples were taken before and after the study and the patients were visited in their homes 2 times per week as a way to monitor supplement compliance.

By the end of the study, those in the group that received 1000 mg ascorbic acid with 400 IU vitamin E saw a significant increase (p = 0.047) in hip bone density (0.0087 grams/centimeter2) compared to decreases in both the placebo group (0.0056g/cm2 decrease) and the group that received 500 mg ascorbic acid with 400 IU vitamin E (0.0043  g/cm2 decrease).

The group that received 1000 mg ascorbic acid with 400 IU vitamin E also saw a significantly greater drop in lipoperoxides, a marker of cell damage (7), compared to the group that received 500 mg ascorbic acid with 400 IU vitamin E (p=0.007) and the placebo group (p=0.047) (44% vs. 24% vs. 31%).  These results support the hypothesis that an increase in bone mineral density is correlated to a decrease in lipoperoxides.

Unfortunately, given the short one-year duration of the study, the researchers did not provide any data on whether the 1000 mg ascorbic acid/400 IU vitamin E group or the 500 mg ascorbic acid/400 IU vitamin E groups had lower fracture rates over the course of the study than the placebo group.

Nevertheless, the researchers concluded “that administration of 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid together with 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol could be useful in preventing or aiding in the treatment of age-related osteoporosis.”

Source: Ruiz-Ramos, M., et al. “Supplementation of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol is useful to preventing bone loss linked to oxidative stress in elderly.” The journal of nutrition, health & aging 14.6 (2010): 467-472.

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG. Part of Springer Nature.

Posted March 13, 2013.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

References:

  1. Cheeseman KH, Slater TF: An introduction to free radical biochemistry. Br Med Bull 1993; 49(3):481-493.
  2. Liehr JC, Roy D: Pro-oxidant and antioxidant effects of estrogens. In: Armstrong D. Free radical and antioxidant protocols. New Jersey: Humana Press, 1998: 425-435.
  3. Stahl W, Sies H: Antioxidant defense: vitamins E and C and carotenoids. Diabetes. 1997; 46 (Suppl 2):S14-S18.
  4. Consenso Mexicano de osteoporosis: Asociación Mexicana de Metabolismo Óseo y Mineral. Rev Inv Clin 2001; 53(5): 469-495.
  5. “What Is Osteoporosis?” on the National Osteoporosis Foundation Website, Learn about Osteoporosis webpage.
  6. Ruiz-Ramos M, Vargas LA, Fortoul Van der Goes TI, Cervantes-Sandoval A, Mondoza-Nunez VM, Supplementation of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol is useful to preventing bone loss linkedto oxidative stress in elderly. J Nutr Health Aging 2010 Jun;14(6):467-72.
  7. Slater TF. Free-radical mechanisms in tissue injury.  Biochem J 1984;222:1-15.