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# Vitamin C lowers risk of stomach cancer
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/vitamin_c_lowers_risk_of_stomach_cancer_1108130543/
- Published: 2013-11-08T06:33:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:24:05.000Z
- Description: Chinese participants with the highest serum vitamin C were 31% less likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer than those with the lowest, and each 20 µmol/L increase was tied to a 14% lower risk. No association appeared with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Vitamins, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Friday Nov08, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Maintaining high levels of serum vitamin C, chemically known as ascorbic acid may reduce the risk of stomach cancer (gastric adenocarcinoma), but not esophageal cancer (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma), suggests a new study in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Tram Kim Lam from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute in Rockville, MD and colleagues conducted the study and found that Chinese study participants who had the highest concentrations of serum vitamin C were 31% less likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer compared with those who had the lowest concentrations.

But serum vitamin C levels were not associated with risk of esophageal cancer.

China is one of the countries in the world where the highest incidence rates for stomach cancer and esophageal cancer can be found. 

For the study, researchers analyzed data from a case cohort and found each 20-μmol/L increase in plasma vitamin C was correlated with a 14% reduction in risk of stomach cancer.

Compared with men and women with low plasma vitamin C levels (defined as equal to or less than 28 μmol/L), those with normal concentrations (defined as greater than 28 μmol/L) had their risk of stomach cancer reduced by 27%.

No correlation between vitamin C concentrations and esophageal cancer was observed. 

The researchers also conducted a meta-analysis of prospective studies which suggested that vitamin C may reduce the risk of stomach cancer and found again that those with the highest amount of vitamin C in their blood were at a 31% reduced risk of stomach cancer, compared with those with the lowest amount.

The study concluded "higher circulating vitamin C was associated with a reduced risk of incident GA (gastric adenocarcinoma), but no association was seen for ESCC (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma)." (David Liu, PHD)