Vitamin C, taken in supplement form, may reduce the effectiveness of statins in improving your cholesterol. High cholesterol levels put you at risk of heart attack and stroke. Two dietary sources of vitamin C -- grapefruit and Seville oranges -- may cause dangerous interactions when combined with statins. Talk to your doctor before taking vitamin C if you also use statin medications.
Vitamin C Benefits
Vitamin C provides numerous health benefits. It helps to make collagen, a protein that promotes wound healing, and boosts your immune system. As an antioxidant, vitamin C protects your body against damage from free radicals, which are acquired from exposure to cigarette smoke, ultraviolet light and air pollution as well as from the body's own metabolism. Most people get enough vitamin C in their diet. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, people who smoke or who are exposed to cigarette smoke, and people who suffer from malabsorption diseases may benefit from taking vitamin C supplements if they cannot obtain adequate amounts from their diet.
Study
Supplemental vitamin C, combined with other antioxidants, might reduce the effectiveness of statins, according to a study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" in November 2001. Greg Brown, professor of medicine at Seattle's University of Washington School of Medicine, led the study in which some participants took statins and niacin along with an "antioxidant cocktail" containing vitamins C and E, selenium and beta-carotene. These participants realized less improvement in their high-density lipoprotein levels -- "good" cholesterol -- than participants who took just statins and niacin. The study did not single out vitamin C as the culprit nor say that vitamin C proved dangerous. HDL cholesterol helps protect you against heart disease. The American Heart Association included this study among two dozen others it analyzed before issuing an advisory against taking antioxidant supplements to improve heart health. However, the AHA did not say that taking statins and vitamin C supplements together posed any danger.
Grapefruit and Seville Oranges
If you take statins, do not include grapefruit or Seville oranges among your dietary sources of vitamin C. Combining statins with these citrus fruits puts you at risk of dangerous side effects. Chemical properties in grapefruit and Seville oranges prevent your body from properly metabolizing a number of medications, including some statins. Statins could build up in your system, creating an unintentional overdose. Serious side effects include liver and muscle damage. In severe cases, muscle tissue breakdown could lead to kidney failure, a life-threatening condition. If you take statins, get your liver checked periodically and report muscle pain to your doctor.
Considerations
Except for grapefruit and Seville oranges, dietary sources of vitamin C will unlikely prove harmful to people taking statins. Good sources of vitamin C include broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, orange juice and red and green peppers. Aim to include 75 mg to 120 mg of vitamin C in your daily diet. A heart-healthy diet includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein. Good sources of lean protein include nuts, soy, seeds, salmon and skinless chicken.
References
- "Circulation"; AHA Science Advisory Antioxidant Vitamin Supplements and Cardiovascular Disease; Penny M. Kris-Etherton, et al.; May 2004
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health: Vitamin C
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Simvastatin and Niacin, Antioxidant Vitamins, or the Combination For the Prevention of Coronary Disease; B.G. Brown, et al.; November 2001
- "The New York Times"; Experts Reveal...Grapefruit Juice; Nicholas Bakalar; March 2006
- The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide; Grapefruit and Medication; February 2006
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Drug Treatments: Statins
