Levels of Serum Ascorbic Acid in a Population of North Jordan

Aim: Total serum vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) concentration was measured in a group of 499 individuals (males and females age range 18-60 years) with different health conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, pregnancy) and a group of 432 healthy individuals (males and females age range 5-60 years) to assess whether serum vitamin C concentrations are affected (or not) by these medical conditions.

Methodology: Total serum vitamin C concentration was measured by HPLC. Sera were extracted from blood samples collected from a population from a northern part of Jordan.

Results: The total vitamin C concentration in male healthy individuals was found to be 43.6±1.75 μmol/l compared to 23.0±1.7 μmol/l in male smokers, 23.6±1.4 μmol/l in male diabetes and 24.8±2.3 μmol/l in males with high blood pressure. The total vitamin C concentration in female healthy individuals was found to be 47.2±2.1 μmol/l, whereas these concentrations were found to be lower in female smokers with 29±1.5 μmol/l, 28.4±0.8 μmol/l in females with diabetes, 29±1.5 μmol/l in females with high blood pressure, and 30.2±0.9 μmol/l in pregnant women. These values are significantly lower (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Vitamin C absorption by the body is influenced by the health status of the individual. This was clearly shown by the differences between healthy individuals from the test group and those with different health conditions.