New research has shown that vitamin C can achieve many of the same benefits to the health of blood vessels as exercise in overweight people.

Overweight people tend to produce more of a protein called endothelin-1. This substance causes constriction of blood vessels and can impair blood flow and raise blood pressure. Regular exercise helps to reduce endothelin-1, and that’s one way in which it improves cardiovascular health. Now we know that vitamin C also helps to reduce this substance.

Of course, exercise has countless benefits and it’s best to try and fit some into your week as often as possible. For some people this is difficult because of fatigue, illness, injuries or lack of time. Exercise helps to keep your blood vessels healthy and your blood pressure in the normal range.

Eating healthy food can provide similar benefits. The nutrients in fresh vegetables all help to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. If you don’t always eat enough of them, you might consider taking a vitamin C supplement.

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