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Nutritional Influences on Bone Health pp 87–98Cite as

Vitamin C and Bone Health

Abstract

Dietary and lifestyle factors have important contributions to skeletal health. Fruit- and vegetable-specific antioxidants, such as vitamin C, might help in preventing osteoporosis because vitamin C may decrease oxidative stress and subsequent bone-resorption. Vitamin C is an essential cofactor for collagen formation (an important component of bone matrix) and potentiates vitamin E activity in cells by regenerating α-tocopherol from its oxidized derivative.

In this chapter, we highlight findings from previous studies on vitamin C intake and bone measures to underscore our current understanding and emphasize the importance of vitamin C on skeletal health. Taken together, previous studies showed a positive association between dietary vitamin C and bone mineral density. Very few examined serum vitamin C status, vitamin C supplementation or bone loss. The reported associations were complex due to multiple interactions with smoking, calcium and vitamin E intakes and current estrogen use in women. One longitudinal study reported that higher vitamin C intake may be protective against bone loss in men with low calcium or vitamin E intake. There is an urgent need to replicate these findings in larger cohorts with data on bone loss over time. Studies have also suggested that vitamin C intake may be protective against hip fracture as well as other fractures, especially among current smokers and estrogen using women. Larger prospective cohort studies are required to further clarify these interactions. Lastly, good-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these epidemiological findings to ascertain optimal intakes for osteoporosis prevention.

Keywords

  • Vitamin C
  • Osteoporosis
  • Fractures
  • Older adults
  • Antioxidant
  • Dietary intake

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Fig. 8.1

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Acknowledgments

S Sahni and MT Hannan have unrestricted institutional research grants from General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition and PAI, Inc. /Amgen. DP Kiel is on the scientific advisory board of Merck Sharp and Dohme, Amgen, Eli Lilly, Ammonett Pharma, and Novartis, has institutional grants from Merck Sharp and Dohme, Amgen, PAI, Inc., and Eli Lilly, and receives royalties from Springer for editorial work and author royalties from UpToDate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02131, USA

    Shivani Sahni PhD, Douglas P. Kiel MD, MPH & Marian T. Hannan DSci, MPH

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  1. Shivani Sahni PhD
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  2. Douglas P. Kiel MD, MPH
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  3. Marian T. Hannan DSci, MPH
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Correspondence to Shivani Sahni PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition and Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

    Connie M. Weaver

  2. Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

    Robin M. Daly

  3. Geriatrics and Aging Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari

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Sahni, S., Kiel, D.P., Hannan, M.T. (2016). Vitamin C and Bone Health. In: Weaver, C., Daly, R., Bischoff-Ferrari, H. (eds) Nutritional Influences on Bone Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32417-3_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32417-3_8

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