Study Links Vitamin C Intake and Skeletal Muscle Mass in Older Adults

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition positively associated vitamin C with skeletal muscle mass in older adults, reports Pharmacy Times . The researchers reviewed data from over 13,000 people between ages 42 and 82 years, participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study. Participants who consumed a standard amount of dietary vitamin C had the highest skeletal muscle mass. The authors said 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women participating in the study were consuming less vitamin C as was recommended by the European Food Safety Agency. "Our findings . . . suggest that dietary vitamin C is important for muscle health in older men and women and may be useful for preventing age-related muscle loss," said the University of East Anglia's Richard Hayhoe. "This is particularly significant as vitamin C is readily available in fruits and vegetables, or supplements, so improving intake of this vitamin is relatively straightforward. We're not talking about people needing mega-doses. Eating a citrus fruit, such as an orange, each day and having a vegetable side to a meal will be sufficient for most people."