Pathology Handbook

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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.