Abstract
A cohort of 50-year-olds from Canterbury, New Zealand (N = 404), representative of midlife adults, undertook comprehensive health and dietary assessments. Fasting plasma vitamin C concentrations (N = 369) and dietary vitamin C intake (N = 250) were determined. The mean plasma vitamin C concentration was 44.2 µmol/L (95% CI 42.4, 46.0); 62% of the cohort had inadequate plasma vitamin C concentrations (i.e., <50 µmol/L), 13% of the cohort had hypovitaminosis C (i.e., <23 µmol/L), and 2.4% had plasma vitamin C concentrations indicating deficiency (i.e., <11 µmol/L). Men had a lower mean plasma vitamin C concentration than women, and a higher percentage of vitamin C inadequacy and deficiency. A higher prevalence of hypovitaminosis C and deficiency was observed in those of lower socio-economic status and in current smokers. Adults with higher vitamin C levels exhibited lower weight, BMI and waist circumference, and better measures of metabolic health, including HbA1c, insulin and triglycerides, all risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Lower levels of mild cognitive impairment were observed in those with the highest plasma vitamin C concentrations. Plasma vitamin C showed a stronger correlation with markers of metabolic health and cognitive impairment than dietary vitamin C.
Highlights
The role of vitamin C in health and disease has been actively studied since its discovery over 80 years ago [1]
Higher plasma vitamin C status was correlated with lower mild cognitive impairment, which was maintained after adjustment for gender, ethnicity and current smoking (Table 4)
We found that 2.4% of 50-year-olds were deficient in vitamin C (i.e.,
Summary
The role of vitamin C in health and disease has been actively studied since its discovery over 80 years ago [1]. One of the most significant of these is its cofactor activity for a variety of enzymes with critical functions throughout the body These include the copper-containing monoxygenases dopamine hydroxylase and peptidyl-glycine α-amidating monooxygenase [3] and the Fe (II) and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent family of dioxygenases [4]. The classical symptoms of scurvy, such as joint pain, lassitude, bleeding and ulceration are thought to be due to the loss in activity of the vitamin C-cofactor enzymes, the collagen hydroxylases It is becoming increasingly acknowledged, that vitamin C is required at concentrations above those needed for the prevention of scurvy for the maintenance of good health [12,13]. New Zealand Ministry of Health, in accord with other international bodies, has a suggested dietary target of ~200 mg/day vitamin C for the reduction of chronic disease risk [17]. C status and dietary vitamin C intake of the participants, and examine the relationships between these measures and a range of health indicators
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