September 29, 2010 – Taking vitamin C supplements may help improve mood quickly in hospital patients, say researchers at the Montreal Jewish General Hospital and the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research1.
They submitted 32 acute inpatients to a clinical trial in which they were randomly given vitamin C or D over a period of 7-10 days.
Fifteen patients took 1000 mg of vitamin C daily. The remaining participants took 2000 IU of vitamin D. In less than 10 days, participants who took vitamin C supplements showed a marked improvement in their mood. by 34%.
No significant improvement was obtained in patients taking vitamin D, which excludes, according to the study authors, a possible placebo effect.
The fact that vitamin C improves the mood of patients may seem surprising, but not without meaning, argue the researchers. Vitamin C is involved in neuronal transmission and the metabolism of neurotransmitters. Its concentration in cerebrospinal fluid is about 3 times greater than in blood plasma. If an abnormal concentration of vitamin C in the fluid affects brain function, it could therefore play a role in mood, they argue.
Although the study could only count on a small number of patients, pharmacist Jean-Yves Dionne says it is promising. “It is a feat to convince 32 sick, stressed and worried people to participate in research work. We are in the presence of very interesting significant results which will lead to other studies, more important on the number of participants, on the benefits of vitamin C on hospitalized people ”, he affirms.
Vitamin C deficiency
In the current study, 63% of participants suffered from vitamin C deficiency and 81% from vitamin D. Another recent study conducted at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal showed that about 1 in 5 patients had a vitamin D deficiency. blood of vitamin C approaching that of scurvy.
Thus, vitamin C treatment is safe and affordable and could have a significant effect on clinical practice, believe the Montreal researchers.
An opinion shared by pharmacist Jean-Yves Dionne. “The prevailing dogma is that of not prescribing vitamins, because we find everything we need in food. However, despite the government hype, people do not eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables and they often suffer from severe vitamin C deficiencies, ”he laments.
Vitamin C is best known for its role in several processes such as wound healing and the production of collagen. It is also recognized for its antioxidant properties which protect cells against the effects of free radicals linked to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Louis Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
1 Zhang M, Robitaille L, et al. Vitamin C supply improves mood in acutely hospitalized patients. Nutrition. 2010 Aug 4.
