This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages without signing in

Vitamin C

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Vitamin C is a water soluble compound. It promotes many metabolic reactions, particularly the laying down of collagen during the formation of connective tissue. It does this by facilitating the activity of enzymes which hydroxylate lysine, proline and procollagen. Hence, it promotes wound healing.

It also has vital roles in maintaining folate as tetrahydrofolate and in the absorption of iron.

Sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, green vegetables, kidney, liver and milk. Cooking of the source reduces the vitamin C content by virtue of oxidation and absorption into water. Absorption takes place within the ileum by secondary active transport along with sodium ions.

Vitamin C deficiency produces classical scurvy. It is very rare in developed countries.

Vitamin C status is determined from an assay on white blood cells.


Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.