Vitamin C may ward off age-related muscle loss, say researchers

27 Aug 2020 --- Vitamin C may be the key to maintaining muscle mass for older ages according to new UK research. The study found that older people who eat plenty of vitamin C – commonly found in citrus fruits, berries and vegetables – have better skeletal muscle mass than those who eat less of these foods. The researchers believe that the findings may help prevent age-related muscle loss by increasing vitamin C consumption.

“We studied a large sample of older Norfolk, UK, residents and found that people with the highest amounts of vitamin C in their diet or blood had the greatest estimated skeletal muscle mass, compared to those with the lowest amounts,” says Dr. Richard Hayhoe from the University of East Anglia (UEA)’s Norwich Medical School.

“We are very excited by our findings as they suggest that dietary vitamin C is important for muscle health in older men and women and may be useful for preventing age-related muscle loss. This is particularly significant as vitamin C is readily available in fruits and vegetables, or supplements, so improving intake of this vitamin is relatively straightforward,” Hayhoe explains.

The research team discovered that almost 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women were not consuming as much vitamin C as recommended by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA).

People over 50 lose up to one percent of their skeletal muscle mass each year.“We’re not talking about people needing mega-doses. Eating a citrus fruit, such as an orange, each day and having a vegetable side to a meal will be sufficient for most people,” he notes.

Importance of muscle
Maintaining muscle mass is pivotal as people tend to lose skeletal muscle mass as they get older, potentially leading to sarcopenia. This is a condition characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, frailty and reduced quality of life.

Lead researcher, Ailsa Welch, Professor at UEA's Norwich Medical School, says that people over 50 lose up to 1percent of their skeletal muscle mass each year. This loss is thought to affect more than 50 million people worldwide.

“It’s a big problem because it can lead to frailty and other poor outcomes such as sarcopenia, physical disability, Type 2 diabetes, reduced quality of life and death,” she adds.

“We know that vitamin C consumption is linked with skeletal muscle mass. It helps defend the cells and tissues that make up the body from potentially harmful free radical substances. Unopposed these free radicals can contribute to the destruction of muscle, thus speeding up age-related decline,” Welch details.

Examining over 13,000 people
Until now, few studies have investigated the importance of vitamin C intake for older people, Welch explains. Therefore more research on the matter may be warranted.

The research team studied data from more than 13,000 people aged between 42 and 82 years, who are taking part in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) Norfolk Study. They calculated their skeletal muscle mass and analyzed their vitamin C intakes from a seven-day food diary. They also examined the amount of vitamin C in their blood.

The research was led by the UEA, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and Strangeways Research Laboratory in Cambridge and developed from a UEA medical student project by Lucy Lewis. The EPIC-Norfolk study was supported by grant funding from the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research UK.

With senior nutrition coming to the fore as an important area of focus, industry is turning its eye on key opportunities in this space. Consumers are increasingly seeking a more holistic approach to healthy aging, according to a new Innova Market Insights survey. The research revealed that seven out of ten consumers have made changes across the past year to improve their health.

Innova Market Insights’ 2019 data also indicated that 76 percent of consumers aged between 26 and 55 years agree that healthy aging started with what they eat and drink. Meanwhile 56 percent said that they had increased their consumption of functional F&B over the previous year.

The segment allows for further opportunities. Recently, Jordan Donohue, Business Development Manager, Sports Nutrition & Health Food at Arla Foods Ingredients, discussed how this new consumer base may affect the sports nutrition sector as well.

Edited by Kristiana Lalou