Vitamin C in Health and Disease: A Companion Animal Focus

• Published in: Topics in companion animal medicine Vol. 39; p. 100432
• Main Authors: Gordon, Daniel S., Rudinsky, Adam J., Guillaumin, Julien, Parker, Valerie J., Creighton, Karina J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Elsevier Inc 01.06.2020; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Acids; Animal diseases; Animals; Ascorbate; Ascorbic acid; Brain research; Catecholamines; Clinical trials; Critical Illness; Diet; Dogs; Enzymes; Free radicals; Health services; Immunoregulation; Intravenous administration; Liver; Oxidative Stress; Proteins; Sepsis; Septic shock; Supplements; Tissues; Vasopressin; Vitamin C; Critical Illness; Sepsis; Ascorbate; Oxidative Stress; Vitamin C
• ISSN: 1938-9736; 1946-9837; 1876-7613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tcam.2020.100432

Vitamin C is synthesized in the liver in most species, including dogs and cats, and is widely distributed through body tissues. Vitamin C has an important physiologic role in numerous metabolic functions including tissue growth and maintenance, amelioration of oxidative stress, and immune regulation. It is also a co-factor in the production of important substances such as catecholamines and vasopressin. Decreased vitamin C levels have been documented in a wide variety of diseases, and in critically ill human patients may be associated with increased severity of disease and decreased survival. Intravenous supplementation with vitamin C has been proposed as a potential life-saving treatment in conditions such as septic shock, and results of small some human trials are promising. Data in companion in animals is very limited, but the possible benefits and , seemingly low risk of adverse effects , and the low cost of this treatment make vitamin C therapy a promising area of future investigation in critically ill dogs and cats.