A Study of Normal Human Requirements for Ascorbic Acid and Certain of Its Metabolic Relationships

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Abstract
The daily requirements for ascorbic acid of a group of 63 individuals, 52 women and 11 men, were determined by use of the saturation test dose method administered intravenously. A requirement greater than 100 mg. daily was obtained for the subjects under 25 years of age. The requirement for a small number of older women between 25 and 50 years of age was well below 100 mg. A correlation between the ascorbic acid of the plasma and the hemoglobin level was found in 17 out of 19 individuals. The basal metabolic rate also appeared to be related to the ascorbic acid requirement, this requirement being less for subjects with low basal metabolism. Confirmation of earlier findings with animal studies on the existence of a relation between ascorbic acid retention and citric acid excretion was obtained.