Vitamin C Pills May Protect the Heart
 (NY, Reuters Health, 7/15/03)

When Dr. Stavroula K. Osganian, from The Children's Hospital in Boston, and team, analyzed the results of a 16-yearlong study of 85,118 women, the researchers concluded that Vitamin C may reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Investigators had initially queried the women about their dietary habits and Vitamin C supplementation and the data subsequently gathered showed that the women consuming more Vitamin C had a lower risk of developing cardiac disease, but only when C supplements were used in addition to a diet rich in the vitamin. Scientists must conduct further studies in which control groups receive placebos in order to distinguish whether the heart protective effect is due to the Vitamin C supplementation or to the fact that women who take "C" also tend to do other things that make them healthier than their peers.