The Role of Vitamin C in Human Health and Diseases
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2024 | Viewed by 1198
Special Issue Editors
Interests: vitamin C; food science
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The importance of vitamin C in keeping the human body healthy has been widely documented. One of the essential biological functions of L-ascorbic acid resulting from its reducing properties is the ability to stop a radical chain reaction. The formed ascorbyl radical has the lowest toxicity among the radicals formed from other antioxidants. Vitamin C can regenerate these toxic radicals into their original antioxidant form. However, under certain conditions, L-ascorbic acid has a pro-oxidative effect and promotes the formation of reactive oxygen species. In addition, vitamin C plays a vital role in promoting reactions related to many life processes, which results in the following functions: participation in the collagen synthesis process, counteracting the development of atherosclerosis, lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol, sealing blood vessels, participating in the synthesis of some neurotransmitters, corticosteroids, and tyrosine metabolism, facilitating the absorption of iron with food, participation in the secretion of a bone-building component, promoting antiviral properties directly or indirectly by enhancing immunity, reducing somatic and mental damage caused by long-term stress, enhancing anti-cancer properties, and reducing the severity of allergic reactions.
Of course, the listed examples are only a few of its wide range of effects on the human body. It should be noted that studies describing the effects of vitamin C have often shown contradictory results. This may be because its action depends on many factors, such as the redox state of the body, the dose used, or tissue metabolism. The role of vitamin C in health is related to the maintenance of internal redox balance, which has been proven to be altered in diseases such as obesity, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and autoimmune diseases. Distinguishing between physiological and pharmacological doses of vitamin C, determined by the route of absorption and the effect of different doses of vitamin C depending on the individual's redox balance, will provide a better understanding of the health effects of vitamin C. Therefore, in order to achieve a thorough elucidation of the role of vitamin C in the treatment and prevention of many diseases, this topic requires further research and the elucidation of more excellent knowledge regarding its biological effects. Further, sustained efforts may open up new perspectives. One such perspective may be the need to reconsider the existing criteria for determining the optimal daily dose of vitamin C.
Dr. Artur Mazurek
Dr. Marzena Włodarczyk-Stasiak
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- vitamin C
- vitamin C deficiency
- vitamin C supplementation
- recommended dose
- immune system
- health
- disease
- inflammation
- cell metabolism
- oxidative stress
- pharmacokinetics
- immunity
