Vitamins C and E: beneficial effects from a mechanistic perspective
- PMID:21664268
- PMCID: PMC3156342
- DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.05.017
Vitamins C and E: beneficial effects from a mechanistic perspective
Abstract
The mechanistic properties of two dietary antioxidants that are required by humans, vitamins C and E, are discussed relative to their biological effects. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an essential cofactor for α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases. Examples are prolyl hydroxylases, which play a role in the biosynthesis of collagen and in down-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1, a transcription factor that regulates many genes responsible for tumor growth, energy metabolism, and neutrophil function and apoptosis. Vitamin C-dependent inhibition of the HIF pathway may provide alternative or additional approaches for controlling tumor progression, infections, and inflammation. Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) functions as an essential lipid-soluble antioxidant, scavenging hydroperoxyl radicals in a lipid milieu. Human symptoms of vitamin E deficiency suggest that its antioxidant properties play a major role in protecting erythrocyte membranes and nervous tissues. As an antioxidant, vitamin C provides protection against oxidative stress-induced cellular damage by scavenging of reactive oxygen species, by vitamin E-dependent neutralization of lipid hydroperoxyl radicals, and by protecting proteins from alkylation by electrophilic lipid peroxidation products. These bioactivities bear relevance to inflammatory disorders. Vitamin C also plays a role in the function of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) by recycling the eNOS cofactor, tetrahydrobiopterin, which is relevant to arterial elasticity and blood pressure regulation. Evidence from plants supports a role for vitamin C in the formation of covalent adducts with electrophilic secondary metabolites. Mechanism-based effects of vitamin C and E supplementation on biomarkers and on clinical outcomes from randomized, placebo-controlled trials are emphasized in this review.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Figures





Similar articles
- Antioxidant functions of vitamins. Vitamins E and C, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids.Sies H, Stahl W, Sundquist AR.Sies H, et al.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1992 Sep 30;669:7-20. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1992.tb17085.x.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1992.PMID:1444060Review.
- Free radicals and lipid peroxidation mediated injury in burn trauma: the role of antioxidant therapy.Horton JW.Horton JW.Toxicology. 2003 Jul 15;189(1-2):75-88. doi: 10.1016/s0300-483x(03)00154-9.Toxicology. 2003.PMID:12821284Review.
- Supplementation of vitamins C and E increases the vitamin E status but does not prevent the formation of oxysterols in the liver of guinea pigs fed an oxidised fat.Keller U, Brandsch C, Eder K.Keller U, et al.Eur J Nutr. 2004 Dec;43(6):353-9. doi: 10.1007/s00394-004-0481-3. Epub 2004 Feb 17.Eur J Nutr. 2004.PMID:15309456
- Antioxidant micronutrients for lung disease in cystic fibrosis.Shamseer L, Adams D, Brown N, Johnson JA, Vohra S.Shamseer L, et al.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Dec 8;(12):CD007020. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007020.pub2.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010.Update in:Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Aug 07;(8):CD007020. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007020.pub3.PMID:21154377Updated.Review.
- Antioxidant supplementation for lung disease in cystic fibrosis.Ciofu O, Lykkesfeldt J.Ciofu O, et al.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Aug 7;(8):CD007020. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007020.pub3.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014.PMID:25102015Review.
Cited by
- Vitamin E and changes in serum alanine aminotransferase levels in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.Hoofnagle JH, Van Natta ML, Kleiner DE, Clark JM, Kowdley KV, Loomba R, Neuschwander-Tetri BA, Sanyal AJ, Tonascia J; Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN).Hoofnagle JH, et al.Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013 Jul;38(2):134-43. doi: 10.1111/apt.12352. Epub 2013 May 29.Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013.PMID:23718573Free PMC article.Clinical Trial.
- Melatonin and Vascular Function.Mendes L, Queiroz M, Sena CM.Mendes L, et al.Antioxidants (Basel). 2024 Jun 20;13(6):747. doi: 10.3390/antiox13060747.Antioxidants (Basel). 2024.PMID:38929187Free PMC article.Review.
- Nutritional Deficiencies and Subfertility: A Comprehensive Review of Current Evidence.Shukla S, Shrivastava D.Shukla S, et al.Cureus. 2024 Aug 8;16(8):e66477. doi: 10.7759/cureus.66477. eCollection 2024 Aug.Cureus. 2024.PMID:39246987Free PMC article.Review.
- Reactive Oxygen Species, SUMOylation, and Endothelial Inflammation.Le NT, Corsetti JP, Dehoff-Sparks JL, Sparks CE, Fujiwara K, Abe J.Le NT, et al.Int J Inflam. 2012;2012:678190. doi: 10.1155/2012/678190. Epub 2012 Sep 6.Int J Inflam. 2012.PMID:22991685Free PMC article.
- Molecular Dissection of the Arsenic-Induced Leukocyte Incursion into the Inflamed Thymus and Spleen and Its Amelioration by Co-supplementation of L-Ascorbic Acid and α-Tocopherol.Maity J, Pal P, Ghosh M, Naskar B, Chakraborty S, Pal R, Mukhopadhyay PK.Maity J, et al.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024 Sep 26. doi: 10.1007/s12011-024-04378-z. Online ahead of print.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024.PMID:39325335
References
- Gann PH. Randomized trials of antioxidant supplementation for cancer prevention: first bias, now chance--next, cause. Jama. 2009;301:102–103. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Related information
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical
Research Materials