OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori infection is recognized to lower the concentration of vitamin C in gastric juice. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the infection on the systemic availability of dietary vitamin C. METHODS: The study involved 1,106 men and women aged 25-74 randomly recruited from the population of north Glasgow. Their H. pylori status, dietary vitamin C intake calculated from a food frequency questionnaire and plasma vitamin C concentration were measured. Correction was made for potential confounding factors such as age, sex, smoking and social status. RESULTS: The mean plasma vitamin C concentration in those who were H. pylori-positive was only 65% of that in those classified negative. Although partly explained by differences in age, sex, social class, smoking and vitamin C intake, the systemic reduction was observed across almost all sub-groups after stratification. Correction for all these factors still gave a plasma vitamin C level for H. pylori positives which was only 80% of that for negatives (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori substantially impairs the bio-availability of vitamin C. This, together with the reduced vitamin C intake of H. pylori-positive subjects, markedly reduces the plasma vitamin C level of infected subjects. The reduced circulating levels of vitamin C in H. pylori-infected subjects may contribute to the aetiology of gastric cancer, as well as other diseases associated with anti-oxidant deficiency.
OBJECTIVE:Helicobacter pyloriinfection is recognized to lower the concentration of vitamin C in gastric juice. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the infection on the systemic availability of dietary vitamin C. METHODS: The study involved 1,106 men and women aged 25-74 randomly recruited from the population of north Glasgow. Their H. pylori status, dietary vitamin C intake calculated from a food frequency questionnaire and plasma vitamin C concentration were measured. Correction was made for potential confounding factors such as age, sex, smoking and social status. RESULTS: The mean plasma vitamin C concentration in those who were H. pylori-positive was only 65% of that in those classified negative. Although partly explained by differences in age, sex, social class, smoking and vitamin C intake, the systemic reduction was observed across almost all sub-groups after stratification. Correction for all these factors still gave a plasma vitamin C level for H. pylori positives which was only 80% of that for negatives (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS:H. pylori substantially impairs the bio-availability of vitamin C. This, together with the reduced vitamin C intake of H. pylori-positive subjects, markedly reduces the plasma vitamin C level of infected subjects. The reduced circulating levels of vitamin C in H. pylori-infected subjects may contribute to the aetiology of gastric cancer, as well as other diseases associated with anti-oxidant deficiency.
Authors: M Jenab; E Riboli; P Ferrari; M Friesen; J Sabate; T Norat; N Slimani; A Tjønneland; A Olsen; K Overvad; M-C Boutron-Ruault; F Clavel-Chapelon; H Boeing; M Schulz; J Linseisen; G Nagel; A Trichopoulou; A Naska; E Oikonomou; F Berrino; S Panico; D Palli; C Sacerdote; R Tumino; P H Peeters; M E Numans; H B Bueno-de-Mesquita; F L Büchner; E Lund; G Pera; M D Chirlaque; M-J Sánchez; L Arriola; A Barricarte; J R Quirós; I Johansson; A Johansson; G Berglund; S Bingham; K-T Khaw; N Allen; T Key; F Carneiro; V Save; G Del Giudice; M Plebani; R Kaaks; C A Gonzalez Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2006-07-11 Impact factor: 7.640