Hypocholesterolemic effect of ascorbic acid in maturity-onset diabetes mellitus

• Published in: International journal for vitamin and nutrition research Vol. 48; no. 4; p. 368
• Main Authors: Ginter, E, Zdichynec, B, Holzerová, O, Tichá, E, Kobza, R, Koziaková, M, Cerná, O, Ozdín, L, Hrubá, F, Nováková, V, Sasko, E, Gaher, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 1978
• Subjects: Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Ascorbic Acid - blood; Ascorbic Acid - therapeutic use; Ascorbic Acid Deficiency - complications; Ascorbic Acid Deficiency - drug therapy; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol - metabolism; Clinical Trials as Topic; Diabetes Complications; Diabetes Mellitus - metabolism; Female; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia - complications; Hypercholesterolemia - drug therapy; Hypercholesterolemia - metabolism; Leukocytes - metabolism; Male; Middle Aged; Placebos; Triglycerides - blood
• ISSN: 0300-9831

A significantly lower vitamin C concentration has been found in the blood and particularly in the leukocytes of hypercholesterolemic diabetic patients than of healthy blood donors. Ascorbic acid administered in a dose of 500 mg per day for 12 months to metabolically stabilized hypercholesterolemic subjects with maturity-onset diabetes mellitus (diabetic diet without insulin or diabetic drugs) brought about a striking decline of cholesterolemia and a moderate decline of triglyceridemia. The serum lipid level in the control group given placebo remained unaltered. A daily administration of 500 mg of ascorbic acid for six months failed to affect the fasting level of serum immunoreactive insulin. It is assumed that the long-term administration of ascorbic acid to maturity-onset diabetics removed the tissue ascorbate deficiency and improved the liver ability to compensate the increased endogenous synthesis of cholesterol by its enhanced transformation to bile acids.