Vitamin C requirements in adolescents
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Recommended Daily Vitamin C Intake for Adolescents
Nutrition societies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland recommend that male adolescents aged 15 to under 19 years consume 105 mg of vitamin C per day, while female adolescents in the same age group should aim for 90 mg per day. For younger children, the recommended intake increases with age, starting from 20 mg/day at age 1 up to 85 mg/day by age 15. These recommendations are based on metabolic needs and body weight, and are higher for smokers due to increased metabolic losses .
Actual Vitamin C Intake and Status in Adolescents
Studies show that many adolescents do not meet the recommended vitamin C intake. In a group of Nigerian adolescents, vitamin C intake ranged from 51% to 91% of the recommended amount, with mean intakes higher in males than females. About 47% of these adolescents had low plasma vitamin C levels, indicating a risk of deficiency despite some having adequate intake, possibly due to poor bioavailability or other factors . Similarly, in another study, most adolescent girls had insufficient vitamin C intake, and all those with anemia also had low vitamin C intake .
Relationship Between Vitamin C Intake and Health Outcomes
Vitamin C and Anemia
There is a strong relationship between vitamin C intake and anemia status in adolescent girls. Insufficient vitamin C intake is linked to a higher risk of anemia, as vitamin C helps with iron absorption. Nutrition education and supplementation with vitamin C, along with iron, have been shown to reduce the prevalence of anemia and improve nutritional status in adolescents 458.
Vitamin C and Bone Health
Vitamin C intake also plays a role in bone health. In Chinese adolescents, higher dietary vitamin C intake was associated with greater bone mass gain in boys, especially when intake exceeded 159 mg/day. This suggests a threshold effect where adequate vitamin C is important for optimal bone development during adolescence .
Vitamin C and Mental Health
Animal studies suggest that vitamin C supplementation during adolescence may help manage stress-related anxiety and depression by improving oxidative stress balance and neurotransmitter function in the brain .
Factors Affecting Vitamin C Status in Adolescents
Several factors influence vitamin C status in adolescents, including household size, age, and nutrition knowledge. Adolescents who are boarders (living away from home) tend to have lower vitamin C status compared to daytime students, likely due to differences in diet quality . In special populations, such as HIV-infected adolescents, vitamin C deficiency can occur even with higher intake, possibly due to increased oxidative stress and metabolic demands .
Conclusion
Adolescents have specific vitamin C requirements that increase with age and are higher for males and smokers. Many adolescents do not meet these requirements, leading to a risk of deficiency and related health issues such as anemia and poor bone health. Nutrition education, improved dietary habits, and, when necessary, supplementation can help adolescents achieve adequate vitamin C intake and support their overall health 1345+2 MORE.
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