Scientists at The University of Westen Ontario and Lawson Health Research Institute have found that vitamin C may help to prevent sepsis.

Sepsis, which is caused by bacteria, causes an infected person’s immune system to overwork, resulting in small blood clots that block blood flow to organs in the body.

The researchers noted that plugged capillaries have been widely focused on for sepsis studies throughout the last decade. For the study, mice that were diagnosed with sepsis were injected with vitamin C when the illness first began.

As a result, a single bolus of vitamin C was able to prevent capillary blockage in the subjects. Meanwhile, a delayed injection of vitamin C was found to restore blood flow that had already been previously blocked in capillaries.

Karel Tyml, the study’s lead researcher, said that overall, the survival rate in the mice improved significantly due to the vitamin C. He added that with further investigations, this may be a beneficial and safe way to treat sepsis in humans as previous evidence has shown that vitamin C does not cause side effects.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vitamin C is essential for many body functions, including the immune system. Grapefruit, oranges, potatoes and green peppers all contain this nutrient.