Vitamin C linked to fewer deaths in blood disorder trial
A phase 2 clinical trial suggests that vitamin C supplements may improve survival rates in patients with blood disorders or low-risk blood cancers. While the study showed no effect on cell growth rates, participants taking vitamin C experienced fewer deaths and reduced instances of certain inflammatory conditions.
Why it matters
If confirmed by larger trials, this could offer a low-cost, accessible supportive therapy for patients with blood-related malignancies.
Vitamin C can increase the activity of cellular proteins known as TET enzymes, which help regulate whether certain genes are switched on or off. Reduced TET enzyme activity is a common feature in some blood cancers, prompting researchers to investigate whether vitamin C supplements might benefit people at risk of developing these diseases.
The findings come from a phase 2 clinical trial published online by Wiley in CANCER , a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
Testing Vitamin C in People at Risk of Blood Cancer
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled EVITA trial included 109 participants in Denmark and the United States. All had either a blood disorder with the potential to become cancerous or a low-risk form of blood cancer.
At the beginning of the study, 55 participants were randomly assigned to take oral vitamin C (1,000 mg/day), while 54 received a placebo. Treatment continued for 12 months.
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