A research carried in Italy shows that Vitamin C may help lower hypertension as it calms overactive central nervous system. According to Dr. Rosa Maria Bruno of University of Pisa, the study demonstrated for the first time in humans that reduction of sympathetic nervous system overactivity is possible, and which in consequence could lower blood pressure by targeting oxidative stress.

 

However, Bruno was not overenthusiastic when she said that it would be too early to say that vitamin C can reduce either blood pressure or sympathetic activity among healthy patients and among high blood pressure patients. She cautioned that her study could not be directly translated into clinical practice as to obtain this result she had used one high dose of vitamin C administrated intravenously.

 

She clarified that she does not know if chronic oral administration of vitamin C can achieve the same effect. In a similar opinion, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, Director, Women and Heart Disease at Lenox Hill Hospital's Heart and Vascular Institute in New York City said that the vitamin C was given intravenously and maybe that's why it worked.