Opinion Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2021; 27(40): 6750-6756
Published online Oct 28, 2021. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i40.6750
Higher doses of ascorbic acid may have the potential to promote nutrient delivery via intestinal paracellular absorption
Ivana Roosevelt Sequeira
Ivana Roosevelt Sequeira, Human Nutrition Unit, School of Biological Science, University of Auckland, Auckland 1024, New Zealand
Author contributions: Sequeira IR conceptualized, drafted and wrote the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author declares no conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ivana Roosevelt Sequeira, PhD, Research Fellow, Human Nutrition Unit, School of Biological Science, University of Auckland, 18 Carrick Place, Mount Eden, Auckland 1024, New Zealand. i.sequeira@auckland.ac.nz
Received: July 1, 2021
Peer-review started: July 1, 2021
First decision: July 13, 2021
Revised: July 16, 2021
Accepted: September 19, 2021
Article in press: September 19, 2021
Published online: October 28, 2021
Abstract

The significance of plasma ascorbic acid (AA) is underscored by its enzymatic and antioxidant properties as well as involvement in many aspects of health including the synthesis of biomolecules during acute illness, trauma and chronic health conditions. Dietary intake supports maintenance of optimal levels with supplementation at higher doses more likely pursued. Transient increased intestinal paracellular permeability following high dose AA may be utilised to enhance delivery of other micronutrients across the intestinal lumen. The potential mechanism following dietary intake however needs further study but may provide an avenue to increase small intestinal nutrient co transport and absorption, including in acute and chronic illness.

Keywords: Aspirin, Ascorbic acid, Paracellular permeability, Antioxidant, Lactulose mannitol test

Core Tip: The significance of plasma ascorbic acid (AA) is underscored by its enzymatic and antioxidant properties as well as involvement in many aspects of health including the synthesis of biomolecules during acute illness, trauma and chronic health conditions. Dietary intake supports maintenance of optimal levels with supplementation at higher doses more likely pursued. Transient increased intestinal paracellular permeability following high dose AA may be utilised to enhance delivery of other micronutrients across the intestinal lumen. The potential mechanism following dietary intake however needs further study but may provide an avenue to increase small intestinal nutrient co transport and absorption, including in acute and chronic illness.