Study: Vitamin C May Help Older Adults Combat Weight Gain

Vitamin C may rev up the metabolism of older adults and help combat weight gain, according to researchers at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Free radicals, destructive oxygen molecules, cause oxidative stress in cells that may damage tissues and interfere with normal body functions. Vitamin C combats this process, according to the study.

The CU researchers believe oxidative stress may be linked to a reduced resting metabolism in older adults, resulting in more calories available to turn into fat. Another study showed that the lower metabolic rate in older adults is partly due to a decreased ability of the nervous system to support resting metabolism, which may be associated with increased oxidative stress as well.

Investigators tried to remove the influence of oxidative stress in older adults to see if their resting metabolism increased.

"We can combat the effects of oxygen free radicals by giving older adults substances known as anti-oxidants," said Christopher Bell, research associate of the kinesiology and applied physiology department and co-author of the study. "The body produces an abundance of anti-oxidants when we are young, but as we age, the production goes down. This increases the importance of healthy eating for older adults because foods such as fruit and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants."

Researchers measured the resting metabolism before and after giving older adult patients vitamin C intravenously. They found that after being given the vitamin C, the patients' resting metabolism increased by almost 100 calories per day, on average.

"It is possible that the removal of oxidative stress using vitamin C could lead to a significant increase in resting metabolism in these older adults," said Pamela Parker Jones, assistant research professor. "This has important implications for reducing age-associated weight gain."

Higher resting metabolic rates have been associated with a reduction in risks for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases such as diabetes, added Jones.

Other sources: University of Colorado