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"Alternative Disease Approach" - Vitamins C and E
Researchers at Oregon State University's, Linus Pauling Institute
have been working to answer questions about how nutrition, and disease are connected.
Their work, appearing in the May 2011 journal of Free Radical Biology and Medicine, examines the mechanistic pathways of two dietary antioxidants,vitamins C, and E. Previous research documents how each of these vitamins are necessary for human health since diet and supplements are the only source of intake for these essential nutrients.
To help identify the molecular steps of asorbic acid (vitamin C), and alpha tocopherol (vitamin E), researchers present evidence to demonstrate essential cofactors, biosynthesis, and gene transcription factors, responsible for regulating tumor cell growth, energy metabolism, and white blood cell functions. Also, an example is given how vitamin C plays a role in the synthesis of skin collagen.
Since vitamin C shows a dose dependent regulation of HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor) pathways, regulating the oxygen levels in our tissues, OSU researchers suggest how vitamin C and E offers, "alternative," and "additional approaches," for controlling cancer progression, viral infections, and inflammation.
Alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E), is descrbed as an essential fat-soluble antioxidant, capable of scavenging and neutralizing toxic free radicals in fatty tissues. Vitamin E deficiencies, observed in human symptoms, suggest that it's antioxidant properties have a major influence on the protection of blood cell membranes, and nerve tissue.
Vitamin C provides:
Protection against oxidative stress-induced cellular damage Neutralization of free radicals in fat lipids, that is vitamin E-dependent Protection of proteins from lipid oxidization by-products
Inflammation is also considered, as vitamin C plays a role in recycling nitric oxide, responsible for arterial elasticity and controling blood pressure levels.
In this paper, Oregon State University researchers discuss the effects of Vitamin C, and E, by emphasizing clinical biomarker results from randomized, placebo-controlled studies.
Source: Free Radical Biology and Medicine, May 2011. PMID:21664268