How does vitamin C help manage knee osteoarthritis ?
Vitamin C is an antioxidant. This means it can override excess harmful molecules, known as free radicals which can cause tissue damage or disease. Vitamin E can help treat osteoarthritis by stimulating the growth of cartilage cells, and vitamin C participates in the regeneration of vitamin E after it has been oxidized. Vitamin C also builds and maintains collagen and connective tissue and helps heal wounds (Higdon et al., 2018). Since osteoarthritis is the breakdown of collagen and connective tissue, theoretically vitamin C can help manage it. Vitamin C supplementation could also help with pain. Studies have shown a decreased requirement for opioid analgesics in surgical and cancer patients administered high dose vitamin C (Carr & McCall, 2017). Even though deficient levels of vitamin C have been associated with joint injury and pain from osteoarthritis, benefits of supplementation are still being researched (2019). There have been a few studies showing a decrease in cartilage with high doses of Vitamin C, but most research has reported either significant positive correlations or non-significant positive associations (Eustice, 2020). Vitamin C is associated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease, hypertension, some types of cancer, immunity and type 2 diabetes, so it is important for all of us to get adequate vitamin C-rich foods, including citrus fruits, kale, strawberries, raspberries, and red peppers (Higdon, 2018). Sources: Carr, A. C., & McCall, C. (2017). The role of vitamin C in the treatment of pain: new insights. Journal of translational medicine, 15(1), 77. doi:10.1186/s12967-017-1179-7 Eustice, Carol (2020). The Effects of Vitamin C on Arthritis: Studies show conflicting findings for osteoarthritis and RA. Retrieved from: Does Vitamin C Have a Positive or Negative Effect on Arthritis? Higdon et al. (2018). Vitamin C. Micronutrient information center: Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon State University. Retrieved from: Vitamin C Marks, Ray (2019) Vitamin C and Osteoarthritis Pain-Modulation. EC Orthopaedics 10.10: 862-873.