Vitamin C status of elderly men in a residential home.
The vitamin C status of 35 men, over 70 years of age from a residential home has been studied by measuring the plasma and leucocyte vitamin C levels and by assessing the intake of vitamin C. The mean plasma vitamin C level of the group was 16 +/- 15 mumol/l which was significantly lower (P less than 0.005) than that of a similar group of elderly men living alone (26 +/- 20 mumol/l). The mean leucocyte vitamin C levels of the two groups did not differ significantly. Twenty-nine (83 percent) of the institution group had plasma vitamin C levels below 23 mumol/l and 13 men (37 percent) had leucocyte vitamin C levels below 10 microgram/10(8)WBC. The residents who supplemented the institution diet with their own fresh fruit supplies had higher plasma and leucocyte vitamin C levels than the men who did not (P less than 0.01). Some clinical signs possible related to vitamin C deficiency were recorded but these could not later be statistically related to either plasma or leucocyte vitamin C levels. A case is made for vitamin C supplementation of puddings in institutional meals for the elderly.
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet; D005638:Fruit; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D012614:Scurvy / Q000175:diagnosis
D001205:Ascorbic Acid