Ascorbic Acid CAS No. 50-81-7

Product Description

Ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin essential for human health. It acts as a powerful antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals and protecting cells from oxidative damage. Ascorbic acid is crucial for collagen synthesis, which is vital for maintaining the health of skin, tendons, cartilage, and blood vessels. It also supports immune function, enhances the absorption of iron from plant-based foods, and aids in wound healing and neurotransmitter synthesis. Rich dietary sources include citrus fruits, berries, kiwi, guava, papaya, bell peppers, dark leafy greens, and tomatoes. Deficiency in ascorbic acid can lead to scurvy, characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, swollen gums, easy bruising, and slow wound healing. The recommended daily intake is 90 mg/day for adult men and 75 mg/day for adult women, with additional needs for pregnant or breastfeeding women and smokers. While supplements are widely available, high doses above 2000 mg/day may cause side effects like diarrhea, nausea, or kidney stones. In addition to its health benefits, ascorbic acid is used industrially as a food preservative and in cosmetics for its skin-brightening and anti-aging properties.

Product Use & Characteristics

Chemical Information

• Molecular Formula: C₆H₈O₆

• Molecular Weight: 176.12 g/mol

• IUPAC Name: (2R)-2-[(1S)-1,2-dihydroxyethyl]-3,4-dihydroxy-2H-furan-5-one

• Structure: A six-carbon lactone with an enediol group that gives it antioxidant properties

Properties

• Water-Solubility: Ascorbic acid is highly soluble in water.

• Reducing Properties: It has strong reducing properties due to the presence of double bonds at the C2 and C3 carbons and four hydroxyl groups in positions C2, C3, C5, and C6.

• Antioxidant Activity: It neutralizes free radicals, protecting cells from oxidative damage.

• Pro-oxidant Effects: In the presence of free transition metals, ascorbic acid can exhibit pro-oxidant effects.

Natural Sources

• Fruits: Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruits), strawberries, kiwi, guava, papaya, cantaloupe, pineapple, mango, blackcurrants, red raspberries.

• Vegetables: Bell peppers (especially red and yellow), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, kale, turnip greens, tomatoes, potatoes.

• Other: Some meats and animal products also contain trace amounts of ascorbic acid.

Uses

• Medical Uses:

  • Prevention and treatment of scurvy.

  • Dietary supplement to meet daily nutritional requirements.

  • Enhances immune function and helps fight infections.

  • Promotes collagen synthesis, crucial for skin, cartilage, and wound healing.

  • Improves non-heme iron absorption, reducing the risk of anemia.

  • May reduce the duration and severity of the common cold.

  • Used in skincare for anti-aging and brightening effects.

• Industrial Uses:

  • Food preservative (antioxidant, prevents browning).

  • Skincare (brightens skin, reduces wrinkles, and protects against UV damage in serums).

• Cosmetic Uses:

  • Skin lightening and collagen stimulation.

  • UV protection.

  • Often combined with vitamin E and ferulic acid for stability and effectiveness.

Biological Functions

• Antioxidant Activity: Neutralizes free radicals, protecting cells from oxidative damage.

• Collagen Production: Essential for the synthesis of collagen, a protein vital for skin, tendons, cartilage, and blood vessels.

• Immune System Support: Enhances white blood cell function and helps fight infections.

• Iron Absorption: Improves non-heme iron (from plant sources) absorption, reducing the risk of anemia.

• Wound Healing: Promotes tissue repair and recovery.

• Neurotransmitter Synthesis: Aids in the production of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and serotonin.

Deficiency Symptoms (Scurvy)

• Fatigue and weakness.

• Swollen, bleeding gums.

• Easy bruising and slow wound healing.

• Joint pain and rough/dry skin.

• Anemia.

Recommended Daily Intake

• Adults (men): 90 mg/day

• Adults (women): 75 mg/day

• Pregnant/Breastfeeding women: 85–120 mg/day

• Smokers: Additional 35 mg/day (due to increased oxidative stress)

Supplementation

• Available in various forms: tablets, capsules, chewables, or powders.

• High doses (>2000 mg/day) may cause side effects like diarrhea, nausea, or kidney stones in susceptible individuals.

Safety and Side Effects

• Generally considered safe when taken at appropriate doses.

• Upper intake level: ~2,000 mg/day for adults to avoid gastrointestinal issues.

Historical and Scientific Background

• First described and isolated in 1928 by Hungarian biochemist Albert Szent-Györgyi, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1937.

• Named ‘ascorbic acid’ in reference to scurvy (scorbutus), as its deficiency was initially associated with the disease.

Additional Information

• Ascorbic acid is a key nutrient that serves as an antioxidant and a cofactor for numerous enzymatic reactions.

• It is an unusual antioxidant that donates a single reducing equivalent, and the radical it forms, monodehydroascorbate, reacts preferentially with radicals instead of non-radical compounds.

• It stimulates the activity of other antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), which converts the superoxide radical anion to hydrogen peroxide.

• It is essential for collagen synthesis, with enzymes like procollagen-proline dioxygenase and procollagen-lysine dioxygenase requiring ascorbic acid for their function.

Why us!

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