Appetite for vitamin C: its relationship to cellular energy potential

Appetite for vitamin C varies between individuals who consume it for control of inflammatory respiratory, and central nervous symptoms, all of which may have an allergic etiology. The mechanisms affecting appetite for vitamin C are discussed. Ascorbic acid is involved in the appreciation of taste which is diminished in allergic disease, as is appetite in scorbutic conditions. The actions of some appetite-depressant drugs such as fenfluramine, are reduced by administration of vitamin C. It appears that appetite diminished when brain ascorbic levels are reduced below a critical level. When tissue ascorbic acid concentrations are reduced, cellular electric potential is diminished. Cellular electric potential is diminished in allergic disease concurrently with development of symptoms. It is suggested that patho-physiological changes in the nervous system may occur in consequence of increased utilisation of ascorbic acid resulting from allergic and iatrogenic challenge. Appetite for vitamin C would be then be affected on an idiosyncratic basis. It is possible that this appetite is controlled by a neurological feed-back mechanism, activation of which is determined by reduction in cellular electric potential of tissues depleted by ascorbic acid.