Antioxidant vitamin C prevents decline in endothelial function during sitting

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#adult #antioxidants #ascorbic-acid #demography #endothelium-vascular

Antioxidant vitamin C prevents decline in endothelial function during sitting

Thosar et al., 2015 | Med Sci Monit | Rct

Citation

Thosar Saurabh S, Bielko Sylvanna L, ... Wallace Janet P. Antioxidant vitamin C prevents decline in endothelial function during sitting. Med Sci Monit. 2015-Apr-07;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.

Key Findings

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

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 3
Age Range See abstract
Condition stress

MeSH Terms

  • Adult
  • Antioxidants
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Demography
  • Endothelium, Vascular
  • Femoral Artery
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Posture
  • Regional Blood Flow
  • Vasodilation

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Rct
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Vertical: vitamin-c-cardiovascular

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09