Levine, Mark, et al. Determination of optimal vitamin C requirements in humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995; 62:1347–56.
Carr AC, Frei B. Toward a new recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C based on antioxidant and health effects in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999; 69(6):1086–1107.
Simon JA, Hudes ES. Serum ascorbic acid and gallbladder disease prevalence among US adults: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Arch Intern Med. 2000; 160(7):931–936.
Losonczy KG, Harris TB, Havlik RJ. Vitamin E and vitamin C supplement use and risk of all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality in older persons: the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly. Am J Clin Nutr. 1996; 64(2):190–196.
Kushi LH, Folsom AR, Prineas RJ, Mink PJ, Wu Y, Bostick RM. Dietary antioxidant vitamins and death from coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women. N Engl J Med. 1996; 334(18):1156–1162.
Enstrom JE, Kanim LE, Klein MA. Vitamin C intake and mortality among a sample of the United States population. Epidemiology. 1992; 3(3):194–202.
Enstrom JE. Counterpoint--vitamin C and mortality. Nutr Today. 1993; 28:28–32.
Osganian SK, Stampfer MJ, Rimm E, et al. Vitamin C and risk of coronary heart disease in women. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;42(2):246–252.
Knekt P, Ritz J, Pereira MA, et al. Antioxidant vitamins and coronary heart disease risk: a pooled analysis of 9 cohorts. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004; 80(6):1508–1520.
Levine M, Wang Y, Padayatty SJ, Morrow J. A new recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C for healthy young women. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001; 98(17):9842–9846.
Frei B. To C or not to C, that is the question! J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003; 42(2):253–255.
Myint PK, Luben RN, Welch AA, Bingham SA, Wareham NJ, Khaw KT. Plasma vitamin C concentrations predict risk of incident stroke over 10 y in 20 649 participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer Norfolk prospective population study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008; 87(1):64–69.
Steinmetz KA, Potter JD. Vegetables, fruit, and cancer prevention: a review. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96(10):1027–1039.
Kromhout D. Essential micronutrients in relation to carcinogenesis. Am J Clin Nutr. 1987; 45(5):1361–1367.
Zhang S, Hunter DJ, Forman MR, et al. Dietary carotenoids and vitamins A, C, and E and risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999; 91(6):547–556.
Michels KB, Holmberg L, Bergkvist L, Ljung H, Bruce A, Wolk A. Dietary antioxidant vitamins, retinol, and breast cancer incidence in a cohort of Swedish women. Int J Cancer. 2001; 91(4):563–567.
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Vitamin C. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press; 2000:95–185.
Feiz HR, Mobarhan S. Does vitamin C intake slow the progression of gastric cancer in Helicobacter pylori-infected populations? Nutr Rev. 2002; 60(1):34–36.
Jacques PF, Chylack LT, Jr., Hankinson SE, et al. Long-term nutrient intake and early age-related nuclear lens opacities. Arch Ophthalmol. 2001; 119(7):1009–1019.
Simon JA, Hudes ES. Serum ascorbic acid and other correlates of self-reported cataract among older Americans. J Clin Epidemiol. 1999; 52(12):1207–1211.
A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E and beta carotene for age-related cataract and vision loss: AREDS report no. 9. Arch Ophthalmol. 2001; 119(10):1439–1452.
Frech TM, Clegg DO. The utility of nutraceuticals in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2007; 9(1):25–30.
Pattison DJ et al., Vitamin C and the risk of developing inflammatory polyarthritis: prospective nested case-control study, Ann Rheum Dis. 2004; 63:843–847.
Simon JA, Hudes ES. Relationship of ascorbic acid to blood lead levels. JAMA. 1999; 281(24):2289–2293.
Dawson EB, Evans DR, Harris WA, Teter MC, McGanity WJ. The effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on the blood lead levels of smokers. J Am Coll Nutr. 1999; 18(2):166–170.
Gokce N, Keaney JF, Jr., Frei B, et al. Long-term ascorbic acid administration reverses endothelial vasomotor dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1999; 99(25):3234–3240.
Duffy SJ, Gokce N, Holbrook M, et al. Treatment of hypertension with ascorbic acid. Lancet. 1999; 354(9195):2048–2049.
Rodrigo R, Prat H. et al. Decrease in oxidative stress through supplementaion of vitamins C and E is associated with a reduction in blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Clinical Science 2008; 114, 625–634.
Kaegi E, Task Force on Alternative Therapeuties of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative. Unconventional therapies for cancer: 5. Vitamins A, C, and E. CMAJ. 1998; 158(11):1483–1488.
Osganian SK, Stampfer MJ, Rimm E, et al. Vitamin C and risk of coronary heart disease in women. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003; 42(2):246–252.
Lee DH, Folsom AR, Harnack L, Halliwell B, Jacobs DR, Jr. Does supplemental vitamin C increase cardiovascular disease risk in women with diabetes? Am J Clin Nutr. 2004; 80(5):1194–1200.
MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of antioxidant vitamin supplementation in 20,536 high-risk individuals: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2002; 360(9326):23–33.
Waters DD, Alderman EL, Hsia J, et al. Effects of hormone replacement therapy and antioxidant vitamin supplements on coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2002; 288(19):2432–2440.
Levy AP, Friedenberg P, Lotan R, et al. The effect of vitamin therapy on the progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis varies by haptoglobin type in postmenopausal women. Diabetes Care. 2004; 27(4):925–930.
Douglas RM, Hemila H, D'Souza R, Chalker EB, Treacy B. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004(4):CD000980.
Institut für Ernährungswissenschaften, Österreichischer Ernährungsbericht (1998).
Gezondheidsraad, Enkele belangrijke ontwikkelingen in de voedselconsumptie (2002).
Nationale Verzehrsstudie II, 2008 (www.was-esse-ich.de), Max-Rubner-Institut, Karlsruhe, Germany.
U.K. Office for National Statistics, The National Diet & Nutrition Survey (NDNS): adults aged 19 to 64 years (2003).
Stephen R, Utecht T. Scurvy identified in the emergency department: a case report. J Emerg Med. 2001; 21(3):235–237.
Weinstein M, Babyn P, Zlotkin S. An orange a day keeps the doctor away: scurvy in the year 2000. Pediatrics. 2001; 108(3):E55.
Johnston CS, Luo B. Comparison of the absorption and excretion of three commercially available sources of vitamin C. J Am Diet Assoc. 1994; 94(7):779–781.
Gregory JF, 3rd. Ascorbic acid bioavailability in foods and supplements. Nutr Rev. 1993; 51(10):301–303.
Lee SH, Oe T, Blair IA. Vitamin C-induced decomposition of lipid hydroperoxides to endogenous genotoxins. Science. 2001; 292(5524):2083–2086.
Podmore ID, Griffiths HR, Herbert KE, Mistry N, Mistry P, Lunec J. Vitamin C exhibits pro-oxidant properties. Nature. 1998; 392(6676):559.
Carr A, Frei B. Does vitamin C act as a pro-oxidant under physiological conditions? FASEB J. 1999; 13(9):1007–1024.
Traxer O, Huet B, Poindexter J, Pak CY, Pearle MS. Effect of ascorbic acid consumption on urinary stone risk factors. J Urol. 2003; 170(2 Pt 1):397–401.
Levine M, Conry-Cantilena C, Wang Y, et al. Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: evidence for a recommended dietary allowance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1996; 93(8):3704–3709.
Massey LK, Liebman M, Kynast-Gales SA. Ascorbate increases human oxaluria and kidney stone risk. J Nutr. 2005; 135(7):1673–1677.
Auer BL, Auer D, Rodgers AL. The effect of ascorbic acid ingestion on the biochemical and physicochemical risk factors associated with calcium oxalate kidney stone formation. Clin Chem Lab Med. 1998; 36(3):143–147.
Liebman M, Chai WW, Harvey E, Boenisch L. Effect of supplemental ascorbate and orange juice on urinary oxalate. Nutr Res. 1997; 17(3):415–425.
Wandzilak TR, D'Andre SD, Davis PA, Williams HE. Effect of high dose vitamin C on urinary oxalate levels. J Urol. 1994; 151(4):834–837.
Taylor EN, Stampfer MJ, Curhan GC. Dietary factors and the risk of incident kidney stones in men: new insights after 14 years of follow-up. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2004; 15(12):3225–3232.
Ristow M. et al. Antioxidants prevent health-promoting effects of physical exercise in humans. PNAS Early Edition, online. 2009.
European Food Safety Authority, Scientific Committee on Food. Tolerable Upper Intake Levels for Vitamins and Minerals. 2006: ISBN: 92-9199-014-0.
Basu TK. Vitamin C-aspirin interactions. Int J Vitam Nutr Res Suppl. 1982;23:83–90.
Hendler SS, Rorvik DR, eds. PDR for Nutritional Supplements. Montvale: Medical Economics Company, Inc; 2001.
Brown BG, Zhao XQ, Chait A, et al. Simvastatin and niacin, antioxidant vitamins, or the combination for the prevention of coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2001; 345(22):1583–1592.
Collins R, Peto R, Armitage J. The MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study: preliminary results. Int J Clin Pract. 2002; 56(1):53–56.
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for Vitamin C. EFSA Journal. 2013; 11(11):3418; doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3418
German Nutrition Society. New reference values for vitamin C intake. Ann. Nutr. Metab. 2015, 67, 13–20; doi:10.1159/000434757.
Hemila, H.; Chalker, E. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2013, 1. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4.
Wintergerst, E.S.; Maggini, S.; Hornig, D.H. Immune-enhancing role of vitamin C and zinc and effect on clinical conditions. Ann. Nutr. Metab. 2006, 50, 85–94; doi:10.1159/000090495
Pike, J.; Chandra, R.K. Effect of vitamin and trace element supplementation on immune indices in healthy elderly. Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res. 1995, 65, 117–121
Manning, J.; Mitchell, B. et al. Vitamin C promotes maturation of T-cells. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 2013, 19, 2054–2067; doi:10.1089/ars.2012.4988
Washko, P.; Rotrosen, D.; Levine, M. Ascorbic acid transport and accumulation in human neutrophils. J. Biol. Chem. 1989, 264, 18996–19002
= 50. Levine, M.; Conry-Cantilena, C.; Wang, Y.; Welch, R.W.; Washko, P.W.; Dhariwal, K.R.; Park, J.B.; Lazarev, A.; Graumlich, J.F.; King, J.; et al. Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: Evidence for a recommended dietary allowance. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1996, 93, 3704–3709
Schwager, J.; Bompard, A.; Weber, P.; Raederstorff, D. Ascorbic acid modulates cell migration in differentiated HL-60 cells and peripheral blood leukocytes. Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2015, 59, 1513–1523; doi10.1002/mnfr.201400893
Bozonet, S.M.; Carr, A.C.; Pullar, J.M.; Vissers, M.C. Enhanced human neutrophil vitamin C status, chemotaxis and oxidant generation following dietary supplementation with vitamin C-rich sungold kiwifruit. Nutrients 2015, 7, 2574–2588; doi:10.1159/000434757
EFSA NDA Panel. Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to vitamin C and protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage (ID 129, 138, 143, 148), antioxidant function of lutein (ID 146), maintenance of vision (ID 141, 142), collagen formation (ID 130, 131, 136, 137, 149), function of the nervous system (ID 133), function of the immune system (ID 134), function of the immune system during and after extreme physical exercise (ID 144), non-haem iron absorption (ID 132, 147), energy-yielding metabolism (ID 135), and relief in case of irritation in the upper respiratory tract (ID 1714, 1715) pursuant to article 13(1) of regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA J. 2009, 7, 1226; doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1226
Elste, V.; Troesch, B.; Eggersdorfer, M.; Weber, P. Emerging Evidence on Neutrophil Motility Supporting Its Usefulness to Define Vitamin C Intake Requirements. Nutrients 2017, 9, 503; doi:10.3390/nu9050503
US Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service; USDA Food Composition Databases. Available online: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list (accessed on 30 May 201)
Ashor, A.W.; Lara, J.; Mathers, J.C.; Siervo, M. Effect of vitamin C on endothelial function in health and disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Atherosclerosis 2014, 235, 9–20
Ashor, A.W.; Siervo, M.; Lara, J.; Oggioni, C.; Afshar, S.; Mathers, J.C. Effect of vitamin C and vitamin E supplementation on endothelial function: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br. J. Nutr. 2015, 113, 1182–1194
Mullan, B.A.; Young, I.S.; Fee, H.; McCance, D.R. Ascorbic Acid Reduces Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Type 2 Diabetes. Hypertension 2002; 40:804-809
Kong P, Cai Q, Geng Q, Wang J, Lan Y, et al. (2014) Vitamin Intake Reduce the Risk of Gastric Cancer: Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Randomized and Observational Studies. PLoS ONE 9(12): e116060. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0116060
Wei L, Liang G, Cai C, Lv J (2016) Association of vitamin C with the risk of age-related cataract: a meta-analysis. Acta Ophthalmol. 2016: 94: e170–e176; DOI:10.1111/aos.12688
Hart A., Cota A. (2015) The Role of Vitamin C in Orthopedic Trauma and Bone Health; Am J Orthop. 2015;44(7):306-311:
Lykkesfeldt J., Poulsen H. E. (2009) Is vitamin C supplementation beneficial? Lessons learned from randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Nutrition (2010), 103, 1251–1259 doi:10.1017/S0007114509993229
Padyatty S.F., Levine M. (2016) Vitamin C: the known, the unknown, and Goldilocks. Oral Diseases (2016) doi:10.1111/odi.12446
Ashor A.W., et al. (2017) Effects of vitamin C supplementation on glycaemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 15 March 2017; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2017.24
Krebs-Smith, S.M.; Guenther, P.M.; Subar, A.F.; Kirkpatrick, S.I.; Dodd, K.W. Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations. J. Nutr. 2010, 140, 1832–1838; doi: 10.3945/jn.110.124826
Gloriz, F. et al. Modern American scurvy — experience with vitamin C deficiency at a large children’s hospital. Pediatr Radiol (2017) 47:214–220: DOI 10.1007/s00247-016-3726-4
Iwamoto N., Kawaguchi T., Horikawa K. et al. (1994a). Haemolysis induced by ascorbic acid in paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria. Lancet 343: 357.
Iwamoto N, Nakakuma H, Ota N, Shimokado H., Takatsuki K., (1994b). Ascorbic acid-induced hemolysis of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria erythrocytes. Am J Hematol 47: 337–338.
Canavese C., Petrarulo M., Massarenti P. et al (2005). Long-term, low-dose, intravenous vitamin C leads to plasma calcium oxalate supersaturation in hemodialysis patients. Am J Kidney Dis 45: 540–549
Levine M., Rumsey SC, Daruwala R., Park J.B., Wang Y. (1999). Criteria and recommendations for vitamin C intake. JAMA 281: 1415–1423.
Moser M.A., Chun O.K. (2016) Vitamin C and Heart Health: A Review Based on Findings from Epidemiologic Studies. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17, 1328; doi:10.3390/ijms17081328
Authored by Dr Peter Engel in 2010, reviewed and revised by Dr. Volker Elste on 22.05.2017
