Vitamin C improves endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Patients with diabetes mellitus develop atherosclerotic vascular disease earlier than nondiabetic patients. The endothelium plays a critical role in regulating vascular function by releasing nitric oxide. Endothelium-derived nitric oxide reduces vascular resistance and inhibits platelet adhesion to the vascular wall. Endothelial dysfunction in diabetic patients is contributed by the inactivation of nitric oxide by oxygen-derived free radicals. Vitamin C is an antioxidant capable of scavenging free radicals. Though a study it was concluded that Vitamin C selectively restores the damaged endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes.

I found this article to be interesting because my family has a history of diabetes. It was also interesting because an earlier SNBL and the use of the antioxidants.

http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/reprint/31/3/552