Rate of Urinary Excretion of Test Doses of Ascorbic Acid

Summary

The rate of excretion of ascorbic acid was determined after the oral and intravenous administration of test doses to unsaturated and saturated subjects. In those subjects whose reserves of vitamin C had been depleted, there was only a slight increase in the rate of excretion during the first few hours, regardless of the method of administration. In saturated subjects, an average of 80 to 85% of the total 24-hour excretion occurred during the first 12 hours after administration of the test dose. When the latter was given intravenously, maximum excretion occurred during the 1st and 2nd hours. After oral administration, maximum excretion occurred during the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th hours.