In a message dated 11/22/02 3:44:36 PM, [log in to unmask] writes:

>Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
>> http://www.gfhnrc.ars.usda.gov/news/nws9903a.htm

Went to this site. It talked about copper deficiency, but saw nothing about 
vitamin C. Seems that copper deficiency is involved with nitric oxide and 
arterial function. Funny -- vitamin C is also involved and in fact has been 
used directly in opening arteries. A paragraph from a vitamin C paper I did a 
couple of years ago:

studies reviewed by Gaytan and Prisant (2001) discovered that for patients 
with diabetes, endothelium-dependent vasodilation was improved short term by 
the vitamin C infusion into the brachial artery. Patients with congestive 
heart failure have impaired flow-dependent vasodilation. This has been 
attributed in part to increased oxidants. The review by Gaytan and Prisant 
(2001) reported on studies with patients with congestive heart failure. In 
one study it was demonstrated that baseline radial artery dysfunction was 
completely restored with intra-arterial vitamin C. The nitrous 
oxide–dependent portion of the dysfunction  was also normalized  with vitamin 
C. In theory, vitamin C increases the effects of endothelium-derived nitric 
oxide by blocking oxidants such as superoxide and oxidized low-density 
lipoprotein (LDL). Vitamin C is proposed to spare intracellular glutathione 
and regenerate vitamin E. Further evidence of this mechanism was noted in a 
study of vitamin C in coronary spastic angina. Patients with angiographically 
proven coronary spasm during acetylcholine infusion were restored to a normal 
vasodilation response by intracoronary infusion of vitamin C. Tolerance to 
nitrates is theorized to be secondary to the formation of superoxides that 
inhibit endothelial nitric oxide. A placebo controlled group of 20 patients 
with congestive heart failure demonstrated maintenance of the effects of 
intravenous nitroglycerin on main pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary 
capillary wedge pressure with an intravenous infusion of vitamin C at 18 
hours. The vitamin placebo group experienced degradation of the effects of 
intravenous nitroglycerin on the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and in 
the pulmonary artery pressure. Vitamin E levels were preserved in the 
ascorbic acid infusion group and declined in the placebo group.

Namaste, Liz
<A HREF="http://www.csun.edu/~ecm59556/Healthycarb/index.html">
http://www.csun.edu/~ecm59556/Healthycarb/index.html</A>