Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Certain Blood Fat Metabolism Factors in Animals and Man

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Abstract
The possible relationship between certain fat metabolism disturbances and alterations in ascorbic acid metabolism was studied, including the influence of long-term, heavy-dose ascorbic acid therapy on blood cholesterol, lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and triglycerides in animals and man. One hundred and eighty rabbits were divided into 3 groups: (a) control; (b) fed cholesterol, 100 mg/kg body weight/day; and (c) cholesterol, 100 mg/kg body weight/day, plus ascorbic acid, 150 mg/kg body weight/day for 8 months. The total cholesterol was decreased from 1234 ± 8.8 (SD) in the cholesterol group to 308 ± 4.0 mg/100 ml in animals receiving ascorbic acid. The triglycerides were decreased from 195 ± 9.5 mg/100 ml, average, to 89 ± 1.4 mg/100 ml. The activity of LPL, 0.189 in the cholesterol group, increased almost to the normal level of 0.45 ± 0.02 unit. Histopathologic examination showed pronounced atheromatous-like lesions in the vascular system of the cholesterol group, and mild incipient pathologic alterations in the cholesterol-ascorbic acid group. Six hundred rats were also divided into 3 groups, observed for 8 months and given cholesterol, 100 mg/kg body weight/day, and ascorbic acid, 150 mg/kg body weight/day. The total cholesterol was reduced from 545 ± 4.14 to 170 ± 5.5 mg/100 ml; triglycerides from 142 ± 2.1 to 77 ± 3.2 mg/100 ml; and the LPL activity was increased from 0.184 ± 0.01 to 0.342 ± 0.01 unit. One hundred and twenty-two patients were given ascorbic acid, 2.0 to 3.0 g/day, for 4 to 30 months. In the cardiac patients, showing very low LPL activity, and high blood levels of triglycerides, the response to ascorbic acid therapy was markedly favorable with respect to these 2 factors.