Relationship between blood Vitamin C and longitudinal change in physical performance among Japanese community dwelling elderly women

2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21790597
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: SAITO Kyoko 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (20507389)
• Project Period (FY): 2009 – 2010
• Keywords: 疫学

Research Abstract

Recent studies have suggested that there is a beneficial relationship between antioxidant vitamin C intake and physical performance. A cross sectional study we conducted in 2006 on community dwelling elderly women found that the concentration of blood vitamin C was related to physical performance. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin C concentration in the blood and changes in physical performance in elderly women.
In order to provide a longitudinal analysis with high quality evidence, a follow-up survey was conducted in 2009 and the results were compared to the 2006 survey results from the aforementioned study, which served as a baseline.
Analysis of the relationship between the blood vitamin C concentration at baseline and changes in handgrip strength during the follow-up period showed a negative correlation (adjusted for baseline age and grip strength: r=-0.1, p=0.02). However, this correlation was not observed when the subjects who took vitamin C supplements were excluded. Analysis of the relationship between changes in blood vitamin C concentration and changes in grip strength over the three-year period showed a positive correlation(r=0.11, P=0.016). A similar result was obtained even after the subjects who were taking vitamin C supplements were excluded (r=0.10, P=0.043).

Research Products

• [Presentation] 地域在宅高齢女性の運動機能の経年的低下に及ぼす血中ビタミンC濃度の影響 (2011)
  • Author(s): 齋藤京子, 吉田英世, 金憲経, 平野浩彦, 島田裕之, 吉田祐子, 岩佐一, 近藤嘉高, 半田節子, 丸山直紀, 石神昭人, 横山徹爾, 鈴木隆雄
  • Organizer: 第21回日本疫学会学術集会
  • Year and Date: 2011-01-22