Serum ascorbic acid in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Chronic hemodialysis patients frequently exhibit subnormal serum ascorbic acid levels.
• Suboptimal vitamin C status may be linked to the dialysis process and duration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy and safety of ascorbic acid supplementation in hemodialysis patients.
• To determine optimal dosage for restoring vitamin C levels without adverse effects.

Main Methods:

• Assessed serum ascorbic acid levels in 10 hemodialysis patients before and after supplementation.
• Administered 100 mg ascorbic acid daily for two weeks, followed by 500 mg daily.
• Monitored blood pH, bicarbonate, base excess, and PCO2 in 24 patients.

Main Results:

• 80% of patients had low ascorbic acid initially; 90% normalized after 100 mg daily.
• 500 mg daily supplementation normalized levels in all patients but caused gastrointestinal side effects in 3.
• A slight, significant decrease in mean blood pH was observed with 500 mg daily supplementation.

Conclusions:

• Low-dose (100 mg/day) ascorbic acid supplementation is effective and safe for correcting vitamin C deficiency in hemodialysis patients.
• High-dose (500 mg/day) supplementation may lead to adverse effects and alter blood acid-base balance.
• Regular monitoring of vitamin C status and appropriate supplementation are crucial for hemodialysis patients.