In August 2018 researchers from China and the USA published the results of their study to assess the effect of an insufficient intake of vitamin C on the risk of dying early from various diseases. A total of 948 Chinese individuals were included in the study and the blood concentration of vitamin C assessed. During the study, from the time of initial blood sample collection, there were 141 deaths from cancer, 170 from stroke and 174 from heart diseases. Results showed that a higher concentration of vitamin C in the blood resulted in a lower risk of dying early from heart disease and cancer. However, there did not appear to be a strong association between vitamin C concentrations and risk of dying early from a stroke.
Wang SM et al. Association of plasma vitamin C concentration to total and cause-specific mortality: a 16-year prospective study in China. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2018 Aug 12. [Epub ahead of print]