VITAMIN-C STATUS AND PHYSICAL WORKING CAPACITY IN ADOLESCENTS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 54  (1) , 55-60
Abstract
The effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on physical working capacity was studied in young adolescent boys in which the concomitant biochemical riboflavin and pyridoxin deficiencies were corrected by medicamentous prophylaxis. After daily administration for 2 mo. of 70 mg ascorbic acid, the mean plasma vitamin C in the experimental group (n = 49) rose from 0.33 to 1.49 mg/dl (P < 0.001) and the prevalence of deficient plasma vitamin C values (< 0.20 mg/dl) decreased from 52.3% to zero. The improvement in vitamin C biochemical status was also accompanied by a statistically significant increase in .ovrhdot.VO2 max (P < 0.01). There were no significant changes either in the mean plasma vitamin C values or in the mean .ovrhdot.VO2 max in the control group subjects (n = 42). The increase in .ovrhdot.VO2 max in the experimental group was primarily the result of an increase of .ovrhdot.VO2 max in subjects with initially lower values. When data from both experimental and control groups were pooled together, a positive and significant association was found between .ovrhdot.VO2 max and the increase of plasma vitamin C values < 1.0 mg/dl. No further increase in .ovrhdot.VO2 max was observed when vitamin C plasma values reached 1.0 mg/dl or more. The 2 regression lines crossed at .chi. = 0.86 mg/dl. This cut off point of plasma vitamin C level corresponds to a dietary intake of .apprx. 80 mg of ascorbic acid/day. The results of this study are in agreement with the suggested optimal ascorbic acid daily intake obtained by kinetic studies with (1-14 C) ascorbic acid.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: