Handbook of Vitamin C Research

PrefaceThe 6-carbon lactone known as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an important water-solublevitamin. It is essential for preserving optimal health and it is used by the body for manypurposes, including collagen biosynthesis, melanin reduction and enhanced immunity. Thisbook addresses some important issues related to various methods which are employed toencapsulate asorbic acid. A comparation of the characteristics of ascorbic acid nano andmicroparticles prepared by different methods is also given. Furthermore, the biomedicalsignificance of human vitamin C metabolism is examined, in the light of polymorphisms inxenobiotic enzymes deduced from genetic, biochemical and epidemiological results toestimate optimal nutrition. Additionally, Vitamin C exerts a protective role against sometypes of cancer. For that reason, this book investigates the protective effect of vitamin C.Possible pro- and antioxidant effects of vitamin C are also presented and their extrapolationon human health is discussed. Other chapters in this book include a review of the role ofvitamin C in the physiology of several diseases, good dietary sources of vitamin C, a study ofthe effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on vitamin C status in exposedpopulations and the role of vitamin C in human reproduction and its effect on people whosuffer from epileptic seizures.Chapter I - The 6-carbon lactone known as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a principal watersoluble micronutrient within biological systems, where it serves as an electron donor for avariety of physiological processes. Vitamin C is perhaps best known for its role as theprimary small molecule antioxidant within aqueous environments. Here it assists otherenzymatic and nonenzymatic components of the antioxidant defense system in providingprotection against free radical-mediated attack, in an effort to minimize oxidative stress.Simply stated, oxidative stress is a condition in which the production of free radicals exceedsantioxidant defenses, potentially leading to oxidative damage to small and large molecules.Oxidative stress is associated with human disease, as well as the aging process. Althoughmultiple stimuli exist, the performance of acute exercise is one such condition in which theproduction of free radicals is exacerbated. This exercise-induced oxidative stress hascommonly been viewed as a detriment to physical performance, as it is believed to interferewith force production capabilities during exercise, as well as accelerate muscle damage anddelay recovery in the days following exercise. For this reason, coupled with theaforementioned association of oxidative stress with disease, numerous investigators have