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Vitamin C and Immune Function.

Anitra C Carr1, Silvia Maggini2

  • 1Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch, P.O. Box 4345, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. anitra.carr@otago.ac.nz.

Nutrients
|November 4, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is crucial for immune defense, supporting cellular functions and barrier integrity. Supplementation can prevent and treat infections, with higher doses needed for treatment.

Keywords:
ascorbateascorbic acidimmune systemimmunityinfectionlymphocytesmicrobial killingneutrophil functionvitamin C

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Immunology
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an essential micronutrient with potent antioxidant and cofactor roles.
  • It supports various cellular functions critical for both innate and adaptive immunity.
  • Vitamin C enhances skin barrier function and protects against oxidative stress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the multifaceted roles of vitamin C in human immune defense.
  • To examine the impact of vitamin C on immune cell function and susceptibility to infection.
  • To review the efficacy of vitamin C supplementation in preventing and treating infections.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on vitamin C's biochemical functions and immunological impacts.
  • Analysis of studies investigating vitamin C levels in relation to infection status.
  • Examination of clinical trial data on vitamin C supplementation for infection prevention and treatment.

Main Results:

  • Vitamin C supports epithelial barriers, enhances phagocyte activity, and aids neutrophil clearance.
  • It plays a role in lymphocyte differentiation and proliferation, likely via gene regulation.
  • Vitamin C deficiency impairs immunity, increasing infection susceptibility; infections deplete vitamin C levels.
  • Supplementation, particularly high doses during infection, can mitigate disease severity.

Conclusions:

  • Adequate vitamin C intake is vital for robust immune function and infection resistance.
  • Therapeutic high-dose vitamin C may be beneficial for treating established infections.
  • Maintaining optimal vitamin C levels is essential for immune health and disease management.