Vitamin C presented by Research Professor Anitra Carr
Professor Anitra Carr explores vitamin C’s diverse biochemical roles, including antioxidant activity, collagen synthesis, immune function, and gene regulation. Vitamin C requirements are increased in conditions such as diabetes, infection, and critical illness due to oxidative stress, inflammation, and altered metabolism.
She explains that the current RDI for vitamin C in Australia and New Zealand (45mg/day) is based on scurvy prevention rather than optimal physiological function and is insufficient for most people.
Early features of low vitamin C (plasma levels below ~23 µmol/L), include fatigue, low mood, musculoskeletal aches, and poor wound healing. Because these symptoms overlap with many chronic conditions, deficiency is often missed in clinical practice. Identifying deficiency involves dietary history, clinical signs, and biochemical testing (while also recognising the limitations of testing due to sample instability).
Anitra describes appropriate supplementation in metabolic syndrome, diabetes, wounds, cancer and infection.
Learn about:
- The Australian/NZ RDI (45 mg/day) is based on scurvy prevention and sits well below levels needed for tissue saturation and optimal function.
- Conditions such as diabetes, infection, and critical illness significantly increase vitamin C needs due to oxidative stress, inflammation, and altered metabolism.
- Subclinical deficiency presents with non-specific symptoms (fatigue, poor wound healing) and is frequently overlooked in clinical practice.
- Oral dosing requires regular intake to maintain levels, while intravenous vitamin C may be necessary in severe illness due to higher requirements and absorption limitations.
Anitra Carr is a Research Professor and Director of the Nutrition in Medicine Research Group at the University of Otago in New Zealand. She is internationally recognised for her research on vitamin C, with more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and a long-standing translational program investigating oral and intravenous vitamin C in conditions such as infections, cancer, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Anitra is currently ranked the number one vitamin C scholar globally and is passionate about translating the science of vitamin C into clinical practice.
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