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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #172650
Title: PROOXIDANT EFFECTS OF VITAMIN C IN HUMANS

Author
item ROUSSEL, ANN - J FOURIER UNIV, FR
item HINIGER, ISABELLE - REPEAT
item WATERS, ROBERT - WISCONSIN DELLS
item OSMAN, MIREILLE - J FOURIER UNIV, FR
item GARREL, C - REPEAT
item FERNHOLZ, KAREN - WISCONSIN DELLS
item Anderson, Richard

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2005
Publication Date: 5/5/2005
Citation: Roussel, A.M., Hininger, I., Waters, R., Osman, M., Garrel, C., Fernholz, K., Anderson, R.A. 2005. Prooxidant effects of vitamin C in humans. [abstract]. Federation of American Society of Experimental Biology Journal 19: A1475:(844.18)

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The antioxidant effects of vitamin C are well established but vitamin C may also function as a prooxidant. We administered a standard EDTA chelation cocktail solution with or without 5 g of sodium ascorbate intravenously to five subjects. Oxidative stress markers including plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), protein thiol groups (SH), total and oxidized glutathione (GSHt and GSSG), DNA damage and antioxidant enzymes were measured for each subject before and after each therapy session. One hour following the intravenous intake of vitamin C, there were highly significant prooxidant effects on lipids, proteins and DNA associated with decreased activities of RBC glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. For example, plasma MDA increased 29%, DNA damage, based on the comet assay, increased 38% and total thiol groups decreased 18%. Under the same conditions but without added vitamin C, there were no signs of oxidative damage. These data demonstrate that vitamin C administered intravenously may display strong prooxidant effects. The amount of vitamin C given intravenously should be closely monitored and the antioxidant/prooxidant effects should be established before inclusion of vitamin C in intravenous solutions.