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Vitamin C

Alternative Names:Ascorbic Acid
Laboratory:Clinical Biochemistry
Test Code:VITC
Specimen Types:Plasma
Serum
Container Types:
Lithium Heparin (with Gel)
SST
Adults Volume or Mass:1 mL
Minimum/Paediatric Volume or Mass:1 mL
Collection & Request Instructions:Protect from light
Transport Instructions between Sites and/or Laboratories:Protect from Light
Send to lab immediately
Assay Frequency:Fortnightly
Additional Notes:

Reference interval:

Vitamin C 23 – 85 umol/L

Source:  Chromsystems kit insert (IM 65065 Vitamin C EN 07/2015 R1).

Vitamin C <11 umol/L .   

Severe vitamin C deficiency.  These levels are typically associated with increased rates of scurvy.                                    

Vitamin C levels  11 - 23 umol/L.       

Marginal vitamin C deficiency.  Increased levels of Ischemic heart disease and mortality have been described in population based long term follow up studies.  Lykkesfeldt J, Poulsen HE.  Is vitamin C supplementation beneficial?  Lessons learned from randomised controlled trials. Br J Nutr. 2010 May; 103(9):1251-9. doi: 10.1017/S0007114509993229.

Ascorbic acid levels reduced in deficiency. The specific therapeutic use for Vitamin C is the prophylaxis and treatment of scurvy. Whether Vitamin C deficiency has a causal relationship to clinical syndromes other than scurvy has not been established.