Vitamin C Could Help Older Adults Retain Muscle Mass -- New Research

A study from the University of East Anglia published in the Journal of Nutrition shows that greater consumption of dietary vitamin C can build muscle mass in middle-aged and older adults, reports The Conversation . Vitamin C generates carnitine, a crucial substance that supplies energy for muscles to function, as well as collagen. It is also an antioxidant that can help to offset radical molecules, which increase with age and can contribute to the breakdown of muscle cells. The study involved more than 13,000 men and women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Norfolk cohort, aged 42 to 82. The researchers estimated the proportion of skeletal muscle in the body and dietary vitamin C intake. Participants who consumed the most vitamin C in their diet had the greatest muscle mass. Women stood out: those in the highest category of vitamin C consumption had muscle mass 3 percent greater than those in the lowest category. Both under- and over-65 subjects exhibited similar patterns, suggesting vitamin C is critical in both middle and older age. Furthermore, those with sufficient levels of blood vitamin C had greater muscle mass than those in the insufficient category.