Vitamin C linked to lower mortality in blood disorder clinical trial

A phase 2 clinical trial found that daily vitamin C supplements were associated with reduced inflammation and fewer deaths among patients with early-stage or precancerous blood disorders.

The EVITA trial, a randomized and double-blind study involving 109 participants in Denmark and the United States, investigated the effects of taking 1,000 mg of oral vitamin C daily for 12 months. According to reports from ScienceDaily, the primary goal was to determine if the supplement slowed the growth of precancerous or cancerous cells. While the trial found no significant difference in cell growth rates between the vitamin C and placebo groups, other clinical benefits were observed.

Researchers noted that participants taking vitamin C experienced fewer complications, including anemia, pneumonia, internal bleeding, and acute aseptic arthritis. However, those in the vitamin C group did report more frequent gastrointestinal problems. ScienceDaily reported that the supplement group also showed changes in inflammatory signaling associated with better health outcomes.

Over a median follow-up period of 33.6 months, 35 participants died. Of these fatalities, 24 were in the placebo group, while 11 occurred in the group receiving vitamin C. An exploratory analysis suggested that those assigned to the vitamin C group had a higher likelihood of survival during the follow-up period. Scientists emphasized that because this was an exploratory finding, it requires confirmation in a larger phase 3 trial.

Co-senior author Peter A. Jones of the Van Andel Institute stated that the results provide a strong rationale to continue studying how vitamin C might benefit patients with early-stage blood cancers. He expressed cautious optimism that the findings could lead to new strategies for intercepting the development of leukemia.

Background

Vitamin C is known to increase the activity of TET enzymes, which regulate gene expression. Reduced activity of these enzymes is a common characteristic in certain types of blood cancer, leading researchers to test whether supplementation could mitigate disease risk.