Positive Health Online

Abstract

VASDEV and co-workers, Department of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, svasdev@mun.ca, have found that dietary vitamin C and E supplementation prevents fructose-induced hypertension in rats.

Background

Hypertension can be induced in rats by fructose (fruit sugar). In this condition, an excess of certain endogenous oxidants (aldehydes) is found, and this leads to a variety of pathological molecular and cellular changes. The aim of this study was to test whether this process could be prevented by the administration of the antioxidant vitamins C and E.

Methodology

Animals were divided into 4 groups and treated as follows: Control group, normal diet and drinking water; fructose group, normal diet and 4% fructose in drinking water; vitamin E group, diet supplemented with vitamin E and 4% fructose in drinking water; vitamin C group, diet supplemented with vitamin C and 4% fructose in drinking water. After 7 weeks, systolic blood pressure and a variety of other clinical parameters were measured in all groups.

Results

Animals in the fructose group displayed signs of hypertension including elevated systolic blood pressure and elevated platelet calcium, as well as signs of oxidative damage in the aorta and kidneys, and smooth muscle cell hyperplasia in the small arteries and arterioles of the kidneys. Dietary vitamin C and E prevented all these changes.

Conclusion

The antioxidant vitamins C and E, administered in moderate doses, prevented hypertension and oxidative damage to kidneys and blood vessels associated with this in rats.

References

Vasdev S, Gill V, Parai S, Longerich L, Gadag V. Dietary vitamin E and C supplementation prevents fructose induced hypertension in rats. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 241 (1-2): 107-114, Dec 2002.