title: Ascorbate and dehydroascorbate: distribution in mononuclear cells of healthy elderly people.
abstract: Concentrations of ascorbic acid and total ascorbate (ascorbic acid + dehydroascorbic acid) were determined in mononuclear cells from eight elderly men and nine elderly women (aged greater than 65 y) on controlled intakes of vitamin C. No increase in mononuclear cell ascorbic acid concentration was observed for intakes between 30 and 280 mg/d. A significant increase in total ascorbate concentrations was observed for the same range of intakes (p less than 0.01), primarily because of an increase in dehydroascorbic acid. Women were found to have significantly higher ascorbic acid concentrations in mononuclear cells than men (p less than 0.02) for similar intakes of vitamin C. No difference was observed for total ascorbate concentrations. The ratio of dehydroascorbate to ascorbate increased with increasing intake of vitamin C for both men and women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: VanderJagt
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Garry
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Bhagavan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003683:Dehydroascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D003683:Dehydroascorbic Acid