Vitamin C

Question 1

What is scurvy?

Answer 1

Disease that results from lack of vitamin C, symptoms include old wound reopening, easy brushing, teeth can fall out and can lead to death. Occurred in sailors
Treated with orange and lime juice - later found that they have vitamin C which is the cure for scurvy

Question 2

How is vitamin C synthesised?

Answer 2

Vitamin C is synthesised from glucose
L-gulanolactone is the enzyme that helps catalyse reaction to produce L-ascorbic/Vitamin C, this enzyme lacks in humans, bats, guinea pigs and some birds hence it is hard to synthesise vitamin C

Question 3

What is vitamin C used for in the body?

Answer 3

Presence of vitamin C in gut converts ferric iron to ferrous iron which is the more bio available form of iron in the body, vitamin C is a promoter
Involved in synthesis of collagen - related to bruising in scurvy
Helps vitamin E regenerate and to protect lipids, specifically phospholipids in cell membranes

Question 4

What foods include vitamin C and where is it absorbed?

Answer 4

Food such as fruits and vegetables are rich sources for vitamin C
Vitamin C is absorbed in small intestine via active transport, absorption efficiency is proportional to intake (higher intakes, less is absorbed)
Limited storage, excreted in urine

Question 5

Can vitamin C become toxic?

Answer 5

Large amounts of vitamin C dose is very common, safe intake range is large
Generally not toxic but 2000mg/day may cause diarrhoea, rebound scurvy, stomach inflammation, ‘red eye’