Abstract

Deficiency in vitamin C, an essential micronutrient and antioxidant, may result in a compromised immune response because of its central role in immune system regulation. How effective Vitamin C might be in preventing and treating infections is an important question to answer. We reviewed the literature to learn more about vitamin C's role in the health of white blood cells (WBCs) and the expression of genes involved in the immune system and to consider whether or not vitamin C could enhance current therapies.

Keywords

  • Global climate governance
  • COVID-19
  • Carbon neutrality
  • Paris Agreement
  • European Union
  • Carbon emission reductions

References

  1. Santos, K. L., Bragança, V. A., Pacheco, L. V., Ota, S. S., Aguiar, C. P., & Borges, R. S. (2021). Essential features for antioxidant capacity of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Journal of Molecular Modeling, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00894-021-04994-9
  2. Morelli, M. B., Gambardella, J., Castellanos, V., Trimarco, V., & Santulli, G. (2020). Vitamin C and Cardiovascular Disease: An update. Antioxidants, 9(12), 1227. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9121227
  3. Ravindran, R. D., Vashist, P., K. Gupta, S., S. Young, I., Maraini, G., Camparini, M., Jayanthi, R., John, N., Fitzpatrick, K. E., Chakravarthy, U., Ravilla, T. D., & Fletcher, A. E. (2011). Prevalence and risk factors for vitamin C deficiency in north and South India: A two centre population based study in people aged 60 years and over. PLoS ONE, 6(12). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028588
  4. Liang, X.-P., Li, Y., Hou, Y.-M., Qiu, H., & Zhou, Q.-C. (2015). Effect of dietary vitamin C on the growth performance, antioxidant ability and innate immunity of juvenile yellow catfish (pelteobagrus fulvidracorichardson). Aquaculture Research, 48(1), 149–160. https://doi.org/10.1111/are.12869
  5. Qin, X., Liu, J., Du, Y., Li, Y., Zheng, L., Chen, G., & Cao, Y. (2019). Different doses of vitamin C supplementation enhances the th1 immune response to early plasmodium yoelii 17XL infection in BALB/C mice. International Immunopharmacology, 70, 387–395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2019.02.031
  6. El-Senousey, H. K., Chen, B., Wang, J. Y., Atta, A. M., Mohamed, F. R., & Nie, Q. H. (2018). In OVO injection of ascorbic acid modulates antioxidant defense system and immune gene expression in newly hatched local Chinese yellow broiler chicks. Poultry Science, 97(2), 425–429. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pex310
  7. Huang, Q., Zhang, S., Du, T., Yang, Q., Chi, S., Liu, H., Yang, Y., Dong, X., & Tan, B. (2019). Modulation of growth, immunity and antioxidant‐related gene expressions in the liver and intestine of juvenilesillago sihamaby dietary vitamin C. Aquaculture Nutrition, 26(2), 338–350. https://doi.org/10.1111/anu.12996
  8. Likittrakulwong, W., Poolprasert, P., Hanthongkul, W., & Roytrakul, S. (2022). Effects of intramuscular injections of vitamins AD3E and C in combination on fertility, immunity, and proteomic and transcriptomic analyses of dairy cows during early gestation. BioTech, 11(2), 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/biotech11020020
  9. De la Fuente, M., Sánchez, C., Vallejo, C., Díaz-Del Cerro, E., Arnalich, F., & Hernanz, Á. (2020). Vitamin C and vitamin C plus e improve the immune function in the elderly. Experimental Gerontology, 142, 111118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2020.111118
  10. Hemilä, H., & Koivula, T. (2013). Vitamin C for preventing and treating tetanus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd006665.pub3
  11. Chen, C.-Y., Chiu, C.-T., Lee, H.-S., & Lai, C.-C. (2022). The impact of vitamin C-containing treatment on the mortality of patients with sepsis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 15(12), 1514–1520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2022.11.015
  12. Suter, M., Bollen Pinto, B., Belletti, A., & Putzu, A. (2022). Efficacy and safety of perioperative vitamin C in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomised Trials. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 128(4), 664–678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2021.11.039
  13. Li, S., Li, S., Zhao, Q., Huang, J., Meng, J., Yan, W., Wang, J., Ren, C., & Hao, L. (2022). Mechanisms of vitamin C regulating immune and inflammation associated with neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy based on network pharmacology and Molecular Simulation Technology. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2022, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/4904325
  14. Yue, X., & Rao, A. (2020). Tet family dioxygenases and the Tet activator vitamin C in immune responses and cancer. Blood, 136(12), 1394–1401. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2019004158
  15. Kwak, S. G., Choo, Y. J., & Chang, M. C. (2022). The effectiveness of high-dose intravenous vitamin C for patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 64, 102797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102797