The physiological properties of ascorbic acid

Abstract

Water intake, urinary excretion, and the amts. of water, fat, protein and ash were studied in guinea-pigs on a basal scurvy-producing diet, in paired animals given isocaloric amts. of the diet plus ascorbic acid and in animals receiving the vit. but allowed to eat ad lib. Under these conditions the paired guinea-pigs drank more water and excreted more urine than the others. A lack of ascorbic acid caused a diminished retention of water which largely accounted for the differences in body-wt. The deficient animals retained more body fat than the paired despite the increased O2 consumption reported previously.