Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is essential for numerous physiological processes, including antioxidative protection and enzymatic reactions. However, clinical practice shows that suboptimal vitamin C status occurs surprisingly frequently and is easily overlooked.
Therefore, it is important that we can measure vitamin C reliably and accurately. Classical methods, such as HPLC with UV detection, have limitations regarding analytical specificity and stability, which can impact robustness and the number of samples that can be analyzed.
At the UMCG, a fast and robust LC-MS/MS method has now been developed and validated for the determination of total vitamin C capacity in plasma. By including both vitamin C and the oxidized form (dehydroascorbic acid), a more complete and clinically relevant picture of the vitamin C status is obtained. In your body, the used (oxidized) form can be recycled back into vitamin C; hence, measuring total vitamin C capacity provides a better picture of an individual's vitamin C status. Application in clinical practice shows that vitamin C deficiency (±10%) and hypovitaminosis (±20%) occur frequently in patient populations, particularly in men and vulnerable groups.
💡 This underscores that vitamin C is not only a “basic nutrient” but also a relevant biomarker within clinical chemistry with implications for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
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