Effect of Vitamin C Supplementation on Blood Pressure Level in Type 2 DiabetesMellitus: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Zainab Shateri¹, Seyed Ali Keshavarz^1*, Saeed Hosseini¹, Maryam Chamari², Mostafa Hosseini³ and Ensiye Nasli⁴

¹Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran ²Departmentof Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Science and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran ³Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran ⁴Diabetes Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.   Corresponding Author Email: s_akeshavarz@yahoo.com

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/2031

ABSTRACT: Hypertension is one of the common problems in diabetic people.There are evidences suggesting that oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of hypertension.It is possible that decreased antioxidant activity levels of reactive oxygen species scavengers such as vitamin C contribute to decreasingoxidative stress. Objectives:This study was aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin C on blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes. Patients and Methods: The present randomized controlled trial study was conducted on 84 patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing hypertension in theDiabetes Research Center ofTehran University of MedicalSciences, Iran, in 2014. Samples were randomly divided into two groups of vitamin C (n = 42) and placebo (n = 42) on the basis of the random permuted The intervention group was given chewable vitamin C supplements at a dose of 250 mg 4 times a day and the control group was given its placebo for 45 days. The blood pressure of two groups was measured at baseline and in the end of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. No significant differences were observed in the average weight and body mass index, waist and hip circumference and daily intake of energy and its component between the two groups at the beginning and the end of the study. The mean of systolic (129.6±24.4 in vitamin C group and 129±14.1 in placebo, P=0.89) and diastolic (77.2±12.6 in vitamin C group and 76.5±9.65 in placebo, P=0.77) blood pressure at baseline was not significant between the two groups, butattheend of the study, findings showed that there is a significant difference between systolic (121.6±24.4 in vitamin C group and 129.2±13.5 in placebo, P<0.0001) and diastolic (72.5±11 in vitamin C group and 77.4±9.2 in placebo, P<0.0001) blood pressure of two groups. According to the result of this study,the consumption of vitamin C supplement may cause a reduction in blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, in order to improve the health of these people, increasing intake ofvitamin C is recommended.

KEYWORDS: Ascorbic Acid; Blood Pressure; Diabetes Mellitus; Type 2

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