Vitamin C / ascorbic acid

FUNCTIONS

Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, an important structural component of blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, and bone. Vitamin C also plays an important role in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine. Neurotransmitters are critical to brain function and are known to affect mood.

vitamin C is required for the synthesis of carnitine, that is essential for the transport of fat mitochondria, for conversion to energy. Recent research also suggests that vitamin C is involved in the metabolism of cholesterol to bile acids, which may have implications for blood cholesterol levels and the incidence of gallstones.

Vitamin C is also a highly effective antioxidant. vitamin C can protect indispensable molecules in the body, such as proteins, lipids (fats), carbohydrates, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) from damage by free radicals and reactive oxygen species that can be generated during normal metabolism as well as through exposure to toxins and pollutants (e.g. smoking). Vitamin C may also be able to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamin E .

Scurvy

1700's the British navy was aware that scurvy could be cured by eating oranges or lemons, even though vitamin C would not be isolated until the early 1930's.

Symptoms of scurvy include

bleeding and bruising easily, hair and tooth loss, joint pain and swelling. Such symptoms appear to be related to the weakening of blood vessels, connective tissue, and bone, which contain collagen.

Early symptoms of scurvy

fatigue may result from diminished levels of carnitine, needed to derive energy from fat, or decreased synthesis of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine Scurvy is rare in developed countries because it can be prevented by as little as 10 mg of vitamin C daily

Goats, like almost all animals, make their own vitamin C. An adult goat will manufacture more than 13,000 mg of vitamin C per day in normal health and levels many fold higher when faced with stress.

Ascorbic acid synthesis in non-primates

Ascorbic acid is found in plants, animals, and single-cell organisms. Birds and most mammals make ascorbic acid in their livers where the enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase is required to convert glucose to ascorbic acid. Among the animals that have lost the ability to synthesise vitamin C are simians, guinea pigs, the red-vented bulbul,and fruit-eating bats. Most notably, humans have no capability to manufacture vitamin C. They are not able to make L-gulonolactone oxidase because of a genetic defect and are therefore unable to make ascorbic acid in their livers.

This genetic mutation occurred about 63 million years ago

Vit C and Stress

plasma AsA level was decreased by the induction of mastitis in lactating cows and in stressed calves by housing condition A clinical case of scurvy, a typical sign of vitamin C deficiency, has been reported in cows endogenous vitamin C production may be insufficient for cattle under some conditions.

the supply of vitamin C for ruminants depends mostly on the synthesis of AsA in the liver since dietary vitamin C is easily degraded in the rumen and ruminants may be more prone to vitamin C deficiency than other domestic animals when AsA synthesis is impaired .

It has been reported that the concentration of AsA in plasma is decreased by heat stress in pigs Some research using poultry also showed that heat stress decreased the plasma AsA concentration Additionally, supplemental vitamin C has been reported to improve feed intake and growth rates in heat-stressed birds However, the effect of heat stress on the concentration of vitamin C in plasma has not been clarified in dairy cattle.

All poultry are capable of synthesizing vitamin C in the kidney tissue, However, the synthesis and use of vitamin C are not constant. changes with age, management, environment, disease, nutrition and stress. Some of the highest concentrations of vitamin C in animals can be found in the testicles, ovaries, and adrenal gland. In the adrenal gland, vitamin C functions metabolically to help control the production of the adrenal hormone, corticosterone. A controlled rate of corticosterone release from the adrenal cortex is preferred in coping with stress. For adrenal cortical depletion of this hormone to occur would result in death of the animal. Vitamin C plays a central role in the continued synthesis of corticosterone.

The proposed mechanism for this effect is through inhibition of the 21-hydroxylase and 11 beta-hydroxylase enzymes in the steroid biosynthetic pathway in the adrenal cortex. Vitamin C supplementation to the diet and water during periods of stress causes reduced synthesis of corticosterone . For best results, the use of vitamin C in the diet or water should begin at least 24 or 48 hours before the onset of stress and should continue throughout the stressful period. The recommended amount of vitamin C to use in the diet is usually between 100 and 150 ppm. Higher levels can be used, but are often cost prohibitive.