Dietary recommendation of ascobic acid (vitamin C)
The new average daily intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutritional requirement of ascorbic acid or recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for adults (>19 yr) are 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women [14]. Consumption of 100 mg/day of ascorbic acid is found to be sufficient to saturate the body pools (neutrophils, leukocytes and other tissues) in healthy individuals. Based on clinical and epidemiological studies it has been suggested that a dietary intake of 100 mg/day of ascorbic acid is associated with reduced incidence of mortality from heart diseases, stroke and cancer [15]. However, stress, smoking, alcoholism, fever, viral infections cause a rapid decline in blood levels of ascorbic acid.
Smoking is known to increase the metabolic turnover of ascorbic acid due to its oxidation by free radicals and reactive oxygen species generated by cigarette smoking [16]. It has been suggested that a daily intake of at least 140 mg/day is required for smokers to maintain a total body pool similar to that of non-smokers consuming 100 mg/day [17]. Based on latest literature reports, it has been recommended that the RDA for ascorbic acid should be 100–120 mg/day to maintain cellular saturation and optimum risk reduction of heart disease, stroke and cancer in healthy individuals [18]. There is no scientific evidence to show that even very large doses of vitamin C are toxic or exert serious adverse health effects [11,19]. Furthermore, the panel on dietary antioxidants and related compounds suggested that in vivo data do not clearly show a relationship between excess vitamin C intake and kidney stone formation, pro-oxidant effects, excess iron absorption [20].
Physiological functions of ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
The physiological functions of ascorbic acid are largely dependent on the oxido-reduction properties of this vitamin. L-ascorbic acid is a co-factor for hydroxylases and monooxygenase enzymes involved in the synthesis of collagen, carnitine and neurotransmitters [21]. Ascorbic acid accelerates hydroxylation reactions by maintaining the active center of metal ions in a reduced state for optimal activity of enzymes hydroxylase and oxygenase.
Ascorbic acid plays an important role in the maintenance of collagen which represents about one third of the total body protein. It constitutes the principal protein of skin, bones, teeth, cartilage, tendons, blood vessels, heart valves, inter vertebral discs, cornea and eye lens. Ascorbic acid is essential to maintain the enzyme prolyl and lysyl hydroxylase in an active form. The hydroxylation of proline and lysine is carried out by the enzyme prolyl hydroxylase using ascorbic acid as co-factor. Ascorbic acid deficiency results in reduced hydroxylation of proline and lysine, thus affecting collagen synthesis.
Ascorbic acid is essential for the synthesis of muscle carnitine (β-hydroxy butyric acid). [22]. Carnitine is required for transport and transfer of fatty acids into mitochondria where it can be used for energy production. Ascorbic acid acts as co-factor for hydroxylations involved in carnitine synthesis. Further, ascorbic acid acts as co-factorfor the enzyme dopamine-β-hydroxylase, which catalyzes the conversion of neurotransmitter dopamine to norepinephrine. Thus ascorbic acid is essential for synthesis of catecholamines. In addition, ascorbic acid catalyzes other enzymatic reactions involving amidation necessary for maximal activity of hormones oxytocin, vasopressin, cholecystokinin and alpha-melanotripin [23].
Ascorbic acid is also necessary for the transformation of cholesterol to bile acids as it modulates the microsomal 7 α-hydroxylation, the rate limiting reaction of cholesterol catabolism in liver. In ascorbic acid deficiency, this reaction becomes slowed down thus, resulting in an accumulation of cholesterol in liver, hypercholesterolemia, formation of cholesterol gall stones etc [24].
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and iron
Ascorbic acid is known to enhance the availability and absorption of iron from non-heme iron sources [25]. Ascorbic acid supplementation is found to facilitate the dietary absorption of iron. The reduction of iron by ascorbic acid has been suggested to increase dietary absorption of non-heme iron [26]. It is well known that in the presence of redox-active iron, ascorbic acid acts as a pro-oxidant in vitro and might contribute to the formation of hydroxyl radical, which eventually may lead to lipid, DNA or protein oxidation [27]. Thus, ascorbic acid supplementation in individuals with high iron and or bleomycin-detectable iron (BDI) in some preterm infants could be deleterious because it may cause oxidative damage to biomolecules [28-31]. However, no pro-oxidant effect was observed on ascorbic acid supplementation on DNA damage in presence or absence of iron [32].