Vitamin C May Speed Recovery After Heart Bypass Surgery

Recent study finds vitamin C can improve ventricular function and shorten a patient's ICU stay

Vitamin C rich foods can provide a nutritional boost to help with cardiovascular health. Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Researchers from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran evaluated the impact of high-dose vitamin C on markers of myocardial (heart muscle) injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

This surgery improves blood flow to the heart and is performed on people suffering from severe coronary heart disease, where plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. Myocardial injury is considered the leading cause of death in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin C Supports Heart Function After Surgery

In their double-blind randomized trial, the group recruited 50 patients ages 50 to 80 years old who had CABG surgery. The intervention group received 5 grams (g) of intravenous vitamin C before anesthesia and 5 g of vitamin C in a solution. The control group received the same amount of placebo.