You’ve probably heard about vitamin C’s role in immune health, but a growing body of research suggests it may also benefit brain health.
A new study published in PLOS One adds to this data. For the study, researchers analyzed blood samples and MRI scans collected from 2,044 older adults. They found that those with higher blood levels of vitamin C tended to have healthier‑looking brains—specifically, greater gray matter volume and better connectivity of the default mode network. The association remained strong, even after adjusting for age, sex, and lifestyle factors like smoking and drinking habits.
Below, a neurologist and a dietitian break down the findings and explain how vitamin C helps protect the brain.
Meet the experts: Alexander Y. Zubkov, M.D., Ph.D., a board‑certified integrative neurologist and physician advisor for 1MD Nutrition; and Amy Davis, R.D., L.D.N., founder of The Balanced Dietitian and consultant for Live Conscious Nutrition.
What did the study find?
The researchers found that higher blood levels of vitamin C were associated with a greater volume of gray matter, one of two types of tissue found in the brain.
“Gray matter is the part of the brain that does most of the thinking work,” explains Alexander Y. Zubkov, M.D., Ph.D., a board‑certified integrative neurologist and physician advisor for 1MD Nutrition. “It holds the nerve cell bodies and connections that support memory, attention, language, and decision‑making. Having more gray matter, adjusted for your head size, is one sign of a more preserved, resilient brain. Over time, losing gray matter is linked with aging, stroke risk factors, depression, and diseases like Alzheimer’s. So, when we see factors that are tied to more gray matter, we think about them as potential supports for long‑term brain health.”
The researchers also found that high levels of vitamin C were associated with higher connectivity of the default mode network. This important network is involved in memory processing and emotional regulation, says Amy Davis, R.D., L.D.N., founder of The Balanced Dietitian and consultant for Live Conscious Nutrition.
How vitamin C protects brain health
It’s important to note that the study only found a link between vitamin C and brain health; it didn’t prove that higher vitamin C levels caused brain health to improve.
Still, this isn’t the first study to highlight vitamin C’s potential protective effect on the brain. In fact, Dr. Zubkov says, vitamin C is a “key antioxidant for the brain,” meaning it helps protect brain cells from normal wear‑and‑tear. Brain cells are “very active and generate a lot of byproducts that can damage cells if they are not cleared, and vitamin C helps neutralize those,” Dr. Zubkov says. Additionally, vitamin C helps the brain make neurotransmitters and maintain healthy cell membranes.
The brain actually concentrates vitamin C and preserves it at higher levels than exist in the bloodstream, Dr. Zubkov adds, “which shows how important it is.”
How to get more vitamin C
In past research, vitamin C supplementation has shown modest and mixed results for brain health, says Dr. Zubkov, which means a vitamin C-rich diet is most likely to yield protective effects.
Davis recommends regularly eating a variety of foods high in vitamin C, such as oranges, guava, bell peppers, strawberries, and leafy greens.
The bottom line
Both Dr. Zubkov and Davis agree that getting enough vitamin C through a colorful, plant-forward diet is one of several lifestyle habits that can preserve brain health over time. Other protective practices include exercising regularly, getting good sleep, managing stress, and controlling blood pressure.
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