Recently released research by the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada shows that vitamin C can play a significant role in preventing gout, the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in men. The study tracked nearly 47,000 men for 20 years to determine whether vitamin C had an effect on the occurrence of gout, a condition that typically affects the toes and feet and is caused by the build-up of uric acid in the bloodstream. For each 500 mg vitamin C consumed per day through food and/or supplements, risk decreased by 17 percent. Men whose intake was at least 1,500 mg per day slashed their risk of gout by 45 percent. The researchers speculate that vitamin C wards off gout by helping to reduce uric acid in the blood. Men between age 40 and 50 are most susceptible to gout, but it can also affect women, particularly after menopause. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, and high alcohol and red meat intake. Get your fill of vitamin C from oranges, grapefruit, bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, squash, and leafy greens.