Effect of vitamin C on copper and iron status in men and guinea pigs

Healthy individual were given 2 g of vitamin C per day for 2 months. Whole blood iron, ascorbic acid, hemoglobin, and serum ceruloplasmin were determined at the beginning, and 1 or 2 months after the start of the experiment. The concentration of ascorbic acid was observed to increase significantly in the blood, while blood iron, hemoglobin, and serum ceruloplasmin levels significantly increased at the end of the 1st month, but decreased to control levels at the end of the 2nd month. Male albino guinea pigs were administered 8, 180, and 360 mg of vitamin C per day for 2 months. Liver ferritin iron, liver copper, serum copper, and serum ceruloplasmin levels significantly decreased, but there was no significant change in hemosiderin iron while blood ascorbic acid significantly increased at the end of the 2 month period. There was no significant change in serum iron and hematocrit levels. These results suggest that vitamin C has an antagonistic effect on copper metabolism in guinea pigs but not in humans either on copper or iron metabolisms.