How vitamin C over 50s could help maintain muscle mass

Vitamin C may be the key to better muscle in later life – according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).

A study published today shows that older people who eat a lot of vitamin C – often found in citrus fruits, bones and vegetables – have the best muscle mass.

This is important because people tend to lose skeletal muscle mass as they get older – leading to sarcopenia (a condition characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and function), vulnerability and reduced quality of life.

Lead researcher Prof Ailsa Welch, from UEA Norwich Medical School, said: “As people get older, they lose skeletal muscle mass and strength.

“People over 50 lose a maximum of one percent of their skeletal muscle mass each year, and this loss is thought to affect more than 50 million people worldwide.”

“It’s a big problem because it can lead to vulnerabilities and other bad outcomes such as sarcopenia, physical disability, type 2 diabetes, reduced quality of life and death.”

“We know that the consumption of vitamin C is linked to skeletal muscle mass. It helps defend the cells and tissues that make up the body of potentially harmful free radicals. Inexplicably, these free radicals can contribute to the destruction of muscle, so the age-related decline. “

“But so far, a few studies have examined the importance of vitamin C intake for older people. We wanted to find out if people ate more Vitamin C more muscle mass than other people.”

The research team examined data from more than 13,000 people aged between 42-82 years who participated in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) Norfolk Study.

They calculated their skeletal muscle mass and analyzed their vitamin C intakes from a Sunday food diary. They also examined the amount of vitamin C in their blood.

Dr. Richard Hayhoe, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “We examined a large sample of elderly Norfolk residents and found that people with the highest levels of vitamin C in their diet as blood had the highest estimated skeletal muscle mass, compared to those with the lowest amounts.

“We are very excited by our findings because they suggest that vitamin C diet is important for muscle health in older men and women and may be helpful in preventing age-related muscle loss.

This is especially important when Vitamin C is readily available in fruits and vegetables, as supplements, so improving the intake of this vitamin is relatively simple.

“We found that almost 60 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women participants did not consume as much Vitamin C as they should, according to the recommendations of the European Food Safety Agency.

“We are not talking about people needing mega-doses. Eating a citrus fruit, such as an orange, every day, and having a vegetable side to a meal will suffice for most people.”