What are benefits of Vitamin C for cardiovascular health?

There’s a condition called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Sometimes people believe it’s caused by consuming too much cholesterol, but it’s not. Your body actually makes its own cholesterol in large amounts. It may show up to heal damage to a blood vessel, but it’s not the cause.

The cause of damage to an artery is structure weakness in the blood vessel itself. The innermost lining of the artery has what is called endothelial cells composed of collagen, and they need vitamin C to stay strong. Vitamin C is a cofactor for collagen production and vascular smooth muscle. You have muscles around your arteries that help them contract and relax, so it’s critical to maintain their elasticity. Yet, for example, insulin can cause your arteries to thicken and harden.

Classic signs of vitamin C deficiency are scurvy and fragile blood vessels.