Vitamin C and Vascular Health in Older Adults
Linus Pauling , awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his groundbreaking work on the nature of the chemical bond, later became one of the most vocal champions of high‑dose vitamin C. In the early 1990s, he argued that daily intakes ranging from 3 to 18 grams, combined with lysine and proline, could help strengthen blood vessel walls and reduce the binding of lipoprotein(a) — a nutrient‑based strategy he framed as an inexpensive tool for cardiovascular support. Pauling’s broader message centered on maintaining healthy vasculature , from endothelial function to collagen integrity , and he often pointed to doses well above 6 grams a day. Today, however, the Linus Pauling Institute ( LPI ) takes a more conservative stance: for general prevention, it recommends roughly 400 milligrams of vitamin C per day, with higher amounts considered in therapeutic contexts. Vitamin C and Vascular Aging in Older Adults Drawing on findings from the LPI, endothelial dysfunction — an earl...