ABSTRACT

This chapter provides role of ascorbic acid deficiency in various tissues and in various diseases under separate subject headings. It discusses on certain heavy metals which have two valency states and the ions of which catalyze the oxidation of ascorbic acid. Such oxidation is important because the oxidized form of this vitamin — dehydroascorbic acid — is an unstable compound with a short half-life, readily undergoing hydrolysis with loss of vitamin activity. Chronic subclinical ascorbic acid deficiency is no respecter of persons: it affects middle class individuals just as it does the poor. In some people it very slowly and surreptitiously damages the ß-cells of the islets of Langerhans, leading to temporary or permanent diabetes mellitus. Controlled experiments by many workers will be cited, showing that chronic borderline ascorbic acid deficiency predisposes to atherosclerosis, to amyloid degeneration, and to diabetes mellitus in guinea pigs.