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Ascorbic Acid Utilization by Women

Response of Blood Serum and White Blood Cells to Increasing Levels of Intake¹

One Figure

School of Home Economics and Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Connecticut, Storrs²

The average blood serum ascorbic acid level in 19 women subjects fell from 0.97 mg to 0.47 mg per 100 ml of serum during a period of 6 weeks on a diet containing an average of 33 mg of ascorbic acid per day. The average serum level increased to 0.74 mg following 5 weeks on an intake of 58 mg, to 1.47 mg following 5 weeks on an intake of 83 mg, and to 1.69 mg following an equal period on 133 mg.

Fluctuations in white blood cell levels were consistent with those in the serum though somewhat less marked. During the period on the restricted intake, the average white blood cell level for the subjects fell from 29.94 mg to 19.55 mg ascorbic acid per 100 gm of white cells. Following the first two periods of supplementation, the white cell level rose to 26.67 mg and 34.55 mg respectively. There was no further increase in white cell ascorbic acid level as a result of increasing the intake to 133 mg per day.

Statistical analysis of the data indicates that, with intakes between 33 and 83 mg per day, under the conditions of the present study, the average serum level was a reasonably good indicator of the average ascorbic acid content of the white cells.

² Credit is due Dr. Geoffrey Beall, Professor of Statistics, University of Connecticut, for verification of the statistical treatment of the data.

Manuscript received 8 April 1955.