Age-dependent change in Vitamin C status: a phenomenon of maturation rather than of ageing

Several reports have shown that Vitamin C is depleted in animals with age. Based mainly on comparisons between young animals that have not yet reached maturity and old animals, it appears to be the general assumption that the change in Vitamin C status occurs at a late stage in life and that this phenomenon may either contribute to or result from the ageing process. In the present study, young (3 months old, n = 8) and old (36 months old, n = 8) female guinea pigs were followed for 6 months with monthly blood samplings and monitored for Vitamin C status as measured by plasma ascorbate and erythrocyte ascorbate recycling capacity after which the animals were euthanized. While remaining unchanged in the old animals, plasma Vitamin C status of the young animals significantly declined to that of the old animals within 3 months. During the following 3 months, the Vitamin C status of the young animals remained unchanged. Furthermore, post mortem Vitamin C analyses of the animals now aged 9 and 42 months, respectively, showed no effect of age on Vitamin C in plasma, liver, kidney, heart and brain between the groups while concentrations were significantly increased in cerebrospinal fluid and lung with age (p < 0.05). Moreover, a significantly elevated ascorbic acid oxidation ratio was observed in young compared to old animals (p < 0.05). The present data suggest that the decline in Vitamin C status with age occur early in life and is a phenomenon of maturation rather than of ageing. Data from other species and humans are discussed.