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Related Experiment Videos

Ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid measurements in human plasma and serum.

K R Dhariwal1, W O Hartzell, M Levine

  • 1Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|October 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Circulating ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in humans is primarily free, not protein-bound, and exists only in its reduced form. This suggests vitamin C is readily available for bodily use.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Human Physiology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a vital nutrient with known antioxidant properties.
  • Understanding its circulating form and bioavailability is crucial for human health.
  • Previous assumptions about vitamin C's state in circulation required clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if circulating ascorbic acid in humans is protein-bound or free.
  • To ascertain whether ascorbic acid exists solely in its reduced form or also its oxidized form (dehydroascorbic acid).
  • To assess the implications for vitamin C's availability for peripheral utilization.

Main Methods:

  • High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with coulometric electrochemical detection was used to quantify ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid.

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  • Centrifugal ultrafiltration was employed to assess protein binding.
  • Analysis was performed on plasma and serum samples from healthy human volunteers.

    • Main Results:

    • Ascorbic acid was found to be free in the plasma and serum of all participants.
    • The reduced form, ascorbic acid, was consistently detected.
    • The oxidized form, dehydroascorbic acid, was only observed under specific oxidizing assay conditions.

    Conclusions:

    • Circulating ascorbic acid in healthy humans is predominantly free and in its reduced form.
    • This suggests that vitamin C is readily available for direct peripheral utilization without intermediate conversion.
    • Dehydroascorbic acid is likely absent in vivo unless assay conditions induce oxidation.