Dietary vitamin C intake protects against COPD: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2012

Abstract

BackgroundVitamin C, as an antioxidant, has recently been suggested to provide protection against COPD; however, only few national cohort studies have investigated these effects. We aimed to confirm the protective effects of vitamin C against COPD in Korean patients.Patients and methodsWe analyzed the data of 3,283 adults aged ≥40 years (representing 23,541,704 subjects) who underwent pulmonary function tests and responded to questionnaires on smoking history and vitamin C intake, with stratification variables and sampling weight designated by the Korea 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.ResultsAmong all the subjects, 512 (representing 3,459,679 subjects; 15.6%) were diagnosed as having COPD based on pulmonary function test results. Male gender, old age, residence in suburban/rural regions, low household income, low educational level, an occupation in agriculture or fisheries, and heavy smoking were significantly associated with COPD. Low intake of nutrients, including potassium, vitamin A, carotene, retinol, and vitamin C, was significantly associated with COPD. The prevalence of COPD in heavy smokers with the lowest quartile (Q1, <48.50 mg; 63.0%) and low-middle quartile (Q2, 48.50−84.38 mg; 56.4%) of vitamin C intake was significantly higher than that in subjects with the high-middle quartile (Q3, 84.38−141.63 mg; 29.5%) and highest quartile (Q4, >141.63 mg; 32.6%) of vitamin C intake (P=0.015). In multivariate analysis, male gender, old age, heavy smoking, and a low intake of vitamin C were significant independent risk factors for COPD. A significant reduction of 76.7% in COPD risk was observed with a Q3 vitamin C intake compared to Q1 vitamin C intake (odds ratio, 0.233; 95% confidence interval, 0.094−0.576) in heavy smokers.ConclusionThis large-scale national study suggests that dietary vitamin C provides protection against COPD, independent of smoking history, in the general Korean population.

Effects of dietary antioxidant vitamins on lung functions according to gender and smoking status in Korea: a population-based cross-sectional study

“… 35 Additionally, Shin et al reported that Korean smokers with adequate vitamin C intake had acceptable pulmonary functions 36 and Park et al showed that dietary vitamin C provides protection against COPD. 37 Additionally, Morabia et al identified that airway obstruction was reduced by vitamin A in smokers. 11 …”

Respiratory

“…There are many ways in which vitamin C, along with its antioxidant partners, glutathione, vitamin E, vitamin A, and plant-based phytonutrients, affects lung health. It is well established that increased levels of vitamin C in the diet improve health outcomes for smokers and their offspring, as smoking depletes vitamin C [75,76]. Vitamin C is also helpful in fighting infectious diseases such as respiratory infections and pneumonia, COPD regardless of smoking status, asthma, and lung cancer [77].…”

Yaşlılarda Koah Ve Beslenme Yaklaşımları

“…A, C ve E vitamini gibi antioksidan özelliği bulunan antioksidanların KOAH üzerinde semptom giderici etkileri olduğu gibi pulmoner fonksiyonları da geliştirici özelliği mevcuttur (Park et al, 2016). Ayrıca yaşlanmayla birlikte vücutta artan oksidatif stresin azaltılmasında da yaşlı beslenmesinde önemli bir yer tutmaktadır (Akila, Harishchandra, D'souza, & D'souza, 2007).…”