Vitamin c intake and apolipoproteins in a healthy elderly Japanese population

Background. Adequate vitamin C (AsA) intake may lower the risk of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but little is known about its influence on the progression of atherogenic disease in the elderly. Methods. We examined whether AsA intake was associated with serum lipids, apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB), in 680 Japanese elderly persons. Results. There were no significant gender differences among mean serum lipids and apolipoprotein concentrations and intakes of macronutrients. AsA intake had a significant positive association with serum concentrations of high-density cholesterol and ApoA1, but an inverse association with serum concentrations of low-density cholesterol and ApoB, after adjusting for age, body mass index, total energy, and macronutrients. AsA intake was strongly inversely related to ApoA1/ApoB. Conclusion. Increased AsA intake could play an important role in lipid composition and could be of potential importance in the genesis and prevention of atherogenic disease in the elderly. (C) 2002 American Health Foundation and Elsevier Science (USA).