Photo credit: Ilya Eric Lee

One study involved the highest levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in blood with a decrease of the infection of Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes ulcers in the stomach and intestines.

According to an analysis by researchers at the VA Medical Center and University of California, San Francisco, at least one third of 6746 adults who participated in the study of antibodies against H. pylori infections are testimony to past or present.

The highest levels of ascorbic acid in the blood were associated with significantly lower rates of infection. The report is more pronounced for people of Caucasian race, but it is unclear whether this is due to the choice of the sample of participants, or if there is a real biological difference.

When analyzing multiple statistical adjustments were made to account for differences in age, body mass index, education, alcohol consumption and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. According to Joel A. Simon, lead author of the study, "after the corrections due to these factors, white participants with higher levels of ascorbic acid in their blood had a greater risk of infection was less than 25 percent.

But considering the variety of infections due to H. pylori with the cagA virulence factor, the risk was less than 69 percent for each increase of 0.50 mg / dL ascorbic acid levels in the blood.

Research results were published in August 2003 on the number of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. "

Source: http://www.lescienze.it/specialna.php3?id=7659