Vitamin C also known as L-ascorbic acid, dehydro-L-ascorbic acid, monodehydro-L-

ascorbic acid and ascorbate is a water-soluble vitamin [1] identified by its molecular weight of

176.124g/mol [2] and the chemical structure found below.

Figure 1: The chemical structure of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) [2]

Vitamin C is crucial to your body’s optimal functioning because it aids in the storage and

absorption of iron, wound healing, and is a component of your skin, bones and connective

tissues. It also plays a role as an antioxidant to protect your cells from mutations due to

oxidative stress. It is instrumental in the synthesis of norepinephrine, carnitine and collagen

[1]. Unfortunately, humans lack the enzyme needed to catalyze the last step of its synthesis

pathway. Vitamin C cannot be synthesized or stored by the body. There is not a high concern of

overdose because this vitamin has a low toxicity and excess is excreted in the urine. Because of

this, it is imperative to maintain healthy levels of this vitamin by consuming a variety of sources

that include it. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain the highest concentrations of vitamin

C. Without sufficient amounts, there is the possibility for the development of scurvy, which

causes gingival, skeletal, and hemorrhagic abnormalities in the body. Vitamin C may also play a

role in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration, albuminuria, atherosclerosis and

even cancer [3].

As mentioned previously, the best sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables.

While vitamin C is not traditionally found in breakfast cereals, some may be fortified with
it. Dietary supplements that contain ascorbic acid, mineral ascorbates such as calcium or

sodium and combination products will also aid in providing the daily recommended values for

this vitamin [3]. While it is commonly believed that citrus fruits contain the highest

concentrations, vegetables like sweet bell peppers contain equivalent or greater dosages.

Food and Serving Size Vitamin C (mg/serving)

Red or yellow sweet pepper, raw, 1⁄2 cup 95
Orange, 1 medium 70
Kiwifruit, 1 medium 65
Broccoli, cooked, 1⁄2 cup 50
Strawberries, fresh, sliced, 1⁄2 cup 50
Cabbage, cooked, 1⁄2 cup 30
Cantaloupe, 1⁄2 cup 30
Potato, baked, 1 medium 17
mg = milligrams
Figure 2: Common sources of vitamin C [4]

This is beneficial as the growing season for vegetables and their availability extends

longer than fruits. Because of the vitamin’s solubility, it is detrimental to cook the vitamin-

containing food for too long, in too much water, or over too high heat. The best methods for

preserving its efficacy are to consume raw varieties or utilize steaming or blanching

techniques. A medium sized orange or a cup of strawberries can provide the recommended

dietary intake for one day. Depending upon age and sex, the recommended values may change

[4}. Smokers are recommended to augment their dosage by 35 mg/day because smoking hinders

the body’s ability to absorb vitamin C and more ascorbic acid is needed to repair oxidant

damage [1]. During pregnancy, additional supplementation is required especially if the mother

is planning to breastfeed. However, caution is needed because too much vitamin C

during pregnancy can cause a vitamin deficiency in a newborn child.*

 Age Male Female Pregnancy Lactation
0–6 months 40 mg* 40 mg*
7–12 months 50 mg* 50 mg*
1–3 years 15 mg 15 mg
4–8 years 25 mg 25 mg
9–13 years 45 mg 45 mg
14–18 years 75 mg 65 mg 80 mg 115 mg
19+ years 90 mg 75 mg 85 mg 120 mg
Smokers Individuals who smoke require 35 mg/day
more vitamin C than nonsmokers.

Figure 3: The recommended dietary allowances for vitamin C [5]

A common misconception of vitamin C is that it can prevent or cure the common cold.

While vitamin C does have a beneficial effect on the immune system, it cannot cure the

common cold. Research has found that taking vitamin C after a cold has started has no effect on

preventing a cold. One study found that taking 8,000 mg a day of vitamin C has resulted in a

shorter cold with fewer symptoms*. However, the FDA does not recommend a person to

exceed an intake of over 2,000 mg per day. Although excess vitamin C can be excreted in the

urine, taking too much may cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and heartburn [6]. The most

common ailment that presents with excess is the formation of kidney stones. Kidney stones are

mostly composed of calcium oxalate and excess vitamin C is excreted in the form of oxalate [7].

Vitamin C in the form of ascorbate has been found to be an important electron donor to

eight enzymes found in humans. These enzymes aid in the formation of collagen, carnitine,

hormones, such as norepinephrine, and amino acids [8]. Scientists have found vitamin C to be

crucial in the pathway of converting tyrosine into epinephrine. Vitamin C acts as a cofactor to

both the steps of converting of tyrosine to L-DOPA and dopamine to norepinephrine. Because

of this pathway, vitamin C is beneficial in treating the genetic disorder, tyrosinemia, in

newborns by converting the excess tyrosine to L-DOPA which can then be made into dopamine,
norepinephrine or epinephrine [3]. Vitamin C is able to convert dopamine to norepinephrine by

acting as a cofactor to the enzyme dopamine beta-hydroxylase. The ascorbic acid donates a

hydrogen to the dopamine. The hydrogen from ascorbic acid along with an oxygen molecule is

added, changing dopamine to norepinephrine [9].

Figure 3: Reaction of dopamine to norepinephrine [9]

Similarly, ascorbic acid is a cofactor to the enzyme to tryptophan-5-phosphate which aids in the

production of serotonin. Because of these two neurotransmitters having a link to vitamin C,

scientists have been researching the correlation between depression and vitamin C levels [9].

When a case study was conducted in 2011 by Teerhanker Mahaveer Medical College and

Research Centre, it was found that patients experiencing depression also had low levels of

serum vitamin C. This finding caused researchers to deem vitamin C a viable treatment option

for depression.

One common illness associated with a lack of vitamin C is scurvy. While this disease is

mostly eradicated today, it occurred frequently throughout the 1500s, especially within the

population of sailors and pirates. When it is encountered today, it occurs mostly in third-world

countries or areas experiencing war or famine because these events deplete the supply and

availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, the best sources of vitamin C. Due to the chemical
properties of vitamin C, cooking and prolonged storage can be detrimental to its

potency. Unfortunately, this only precipitates the unavailability of the vitamin during sea

voyages. Scurvy begins to develop when daily intake is lower than 10 mg/day or after the blood

plasma content drops below 300 to 400 mg. Typically, this occurs after two months of

continuous inadequacy [8]. Symptoms of scurvy include but are not limited to, anemia, bleeding

gums, decreased wound healing, dry and splitting hair, easy bruising, gingivitis, swollen and

painful joints, weakened tooth enamel and fatigue. However, these symptoms can be appeased

by an increase in dietary vitamin C [10].

Vitamin C plays a role in collagen formation. It is responsible for the formation of the

helix structure of collagen. Weakened helix structures lead to highly soluble and easily

degraded strands of collagen. Patients with scurvy form ulcers and have a delayed healing of

wounds because the weak strands disintegrate and cannot aid in the healing process*.

Another disorder associated with low vitamin C levels is vitamin deficiency anemia.

Vitamin deficiency anemia can be caused by either lack of vitamins in the diet or the inability of

the body to absorb vitamins. Vitamin C is important in the formation of red blood cells. Red

blood cells carry oxygen around the body from the lungs. With more blood cells available, more

oxygen is able to be transported around the body. Low levels of vitamin C decrease the body’s

efficiency in hematopoiesis, the process of producing red blood cells[11]. Vitamin C aids in the

storage and absorption of non-heme iron. Non-heme iron acts in a variety of free-form oxygen

reactions. Non-heme iron is more readily available but harder to absorb by the intestines.

Heme-iron is only available in meat sources so vitamin C is essential to vegetarians who only
encounter non-heme iron in their diet. Because of this, a lack of vitamin C would lead to less

absorption of iron leading to anemia.

(https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/in-depth/cold-

remedies/art-20046403?pg=2).

Our understanding of vitamin C has come a long way since its discovery in the 1930s by

Albert Szent-Györgyi[12]. However, our inherent misunderstanding of why the human body is

not able to synthesize it on its own and the future implications of the vitamin prove that there

is still much to be learned. It is possible that within the next century we may know exactly

these answers. The linkage between vitamin C and the common cold may finally be proven or

disproven. Vitamin C may come to be used as a treatment for such diseases as Alzheimer’s,

dementia, and cancer [3]. In the meantime, scientists will continue to research the correlation

between this vitamin and the prevention of disease while all of us just continue to eat our fruits

and vegetables as prescribed by our doctors.

[12] American Chemical Society.

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/szentgyor

gyi.html#vitamin-c-and-the-body (accessed November 19, 2017)

[1} Center for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/nutritionreport/pdf/Water.pdf (accessed

November 19, 2017)

[8] FAO Corporate Document Repository.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y2809e/y2809e0c.htm (accessed November 19, 2017)

Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/in-depth/cold-

remedies/art-20046403?pg=2 (accessed November 19th, 2017)

[11] Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vitamin-deficiency-

anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355025 (accessed November 19th, 2017)

[6} Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-

eating/expert-answers/vitamin-c/faq-20058030 (accessed November 19, 2017)

[10] MedLine Plus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002404.htm (accessed November 19th,

2017)

[7] MedScape. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/825349 (accessed November 19, 2017)

[5] National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

(accessed November 19, 2017)

[2] Royal Society of Chemistry. http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.10189562.html

(accessed November 19, 2017)

[9] Teerhanker Mahaveer Medical College and Research Centre.

http://www.ijsssn.com/uploads/2/0/1/5/20153321/ijss-08.pdf (accessed November 19,

2017)

[4] University of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY21500.pdf (accessed November

19, 2017)

[3] Web MD. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1001-

vitamin+c+ascorbic+acid.aspx (accessed November 19, 2017)