A phase 2 clinical trial published in the journal CANCER on 21 September 2026 has found that people with early, pre-cancerous blood disorders who took daily vitamin C had a lower death rate over three years than those who took a placebo. The EVITA trial, run by the Van Andel Institute-Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team with sites in Denmark and the United States, randomised 109 adults with clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance or lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, blood conditions that can progress to acute myeloid leukaemia. Fifty-five participants took 1,000 milligrams of oral vitamin C daily for 12 months and 54 took a placebo. After a median follow-up of 33.6 months, 11 people in the vitamin C group had died compared with 24 in the placebo group, out of 35 deaths overall. The trial's main measure, the rate of abnormal blood cell growth, showed no significant difference between the two groups.
Why the researchers are cautious
The survival difference was a secondary, exploratory finding rather than the trial's primary endpoint, and the researchers say it needs confirmation in a larger phase 3 trial before it changes practice. Participants taking vitamin C also reported more gastrointestinal side effects than those on placebo. The trial was funded by the Van Andel Institute-Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team, the Danish Cancer Society and Greater Copenhagen Health Science Partners. Lead investigator Peter A. Jones said the team was "cautiously optimistic" the results could eventually translate into a simple way to improve care for people with these disorders, while stressing that it is too early to make definitive recommendations.
What this means for your supplement routine
This trial tested a specific dose of vitamin C, under clinical supervision, in people with a diagnosed pre-cancerous blood condition, not as a general wellness measure, and the researchers themselves say it is too soon to draw conclusions beyond this patient group. It does not change what a standard vitamin C supplement does in a normal diet, and it is not evidence that vitamin C treats, prevents or reduces the risk of any cancer. Anyone reviewing what they already spend on vitamin C, whether as tablets, gummies or a fortified drink, can compare current prices in the vitamins and minerals collection rather than assuming their usual retailer is cheapest.
How Perqen members save
Perqen members pay £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year for member pricing across the full 1,393-product catalogue, rather than a markup built into the shelf price. Details of how membership pricing works, including the break-even point against a typical monthly order, are on the membership page.
This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.