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Cellular ascorbate depletion in healthy men.

R A Jacob1, F S Pianalto, R E Agee

  • 1USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, Presidio of San Francisco, CA 94129.

The Journal of Nutrition
|May 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary
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Plasma ascorbic acid levels reliably reflect cellular levels, especially lymphocytes, aiding nutrition monitoring. Buccal cells may offer a noninvasive screening method for vitamin C deficiency.

Area of Science:

  • Human Nutrition
  • Biochemistry
  • Reproductive Health

Background:

  • Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is essential for numerous physiological functions.
  • Understanding the relationship between plasma and cellular ascorbic acid is crucial for accurate nutritional assessment.
  • Previous research has not fully elucidated the correlation across various cell types and its implications for monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between plasma ascorbic acid and cellular ascorbic acid levels (lymphocytes, buccal cells, semen) in healthy men.
  • To determine the reliability of plasma ascorbic acid as an indicator of cellular vitamin C status.
  • To assess the impact of varying ascorbic acid intakes on semen and sperm quality.

Main Methods:

  • Eight healthy men participated in a 13-week controlled feeding study.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Participants consumed daily ascorbic acid intakes of 5, 10, 20, 60, or 250 mg.
  • Plasma, lymphocyte, buccal cell, and semen ascorbic acid levels were measured, alongside semen and sperm quality parameters.

    • Main Results:

    • All specimen types showed significantly lower ascorbic acid levels at intakes of 5, 10, or 20 mg/d compared to 60 or 250 mg/d.
    • Plasma and lymphocyte ascorbic acid levels showed strong correlations and unequivocally discriminated between low and high intakes.
    • Buccal cell ascorbic acid showed potential as a noninvasive screening tool; semen and sperm quality remained unaffected by depletion or moderate supplementation.

    Conclusions:

    • Plasma ascorbic acid levels reliably reflect lymphocyte ascorbic acid status, making plasma a viable indicator for nutrition monitoring.
    • Buccal cell ascorbic acid may serve as a practical, noninvasive marker for identifying vitamin C deficiency.
    • Short-term vitamin C depletion or moderate supplementation did not adversely affect male fertility parameters.