Nutrition
Volume 27, Issue 5 , Pages 530-533, May 2011

Vitamin C provision improves mood in acutely hospitalized patients

  • Michelle Zhang

      Affiliations

    • Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, and Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Cote Sainte Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
    • ,
  • Line Robitaille, B.Sc.

      Affiliations

    • Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, and Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Cote Sainte Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
    • ,
  • Shaun Eintracht, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Cote Sainte Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
    • ,
  • L. John Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, McGill University, and Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Cote Sainte Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 514 340 8260; fax: +1 514 340 7502.

Received 4 December 2009; accepted 26 May 2010. published online 06 August 2010.

Abstract 

Objective

Hypovitaminosis C and D are highly prevalent in acutely hospitalized patients, but the clinical significance of these biochemical abnormalities is not known. Because deficiencies of vitamin C and D have been linked to psychologic abnormalities, vitamin C or D provision could improve the mood state of acutely hospitalized patients.

Methods

Double-blind clinical trial of the effect of vitamin C (500 mg twice daily) or vitamin D (1000 IU twice daily) on mood, as assessed with a validated instrument, the Profile of Mood States.

Results

Vitamin C therapy increased plasma (P < 0.0001) and mononuclear leukocyte (P = 0.014) vitamin C concentrations and was associated with a 34% reduction in mood disturbance (P = 0.013). Vitamin D therapy increased plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (P = 0.0004), but had no significant effect on mood.

Conclusions

Treatment of hypovitaminosis C improves the mood state of acutely hospitalized patients.

Keywords: Ascorbic acid, Malnutrition, Nutritional supplements, Scurvy, Vitamin D

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 This work was supported by the Lotte and John Hecht Memorial Foundation, a grant from McGill University, and a medical student research bursary from the Faculty of Medicine, McGill University.

PII: S0899-9007(10)00174-7

doi:10.1016/j.nut.2010.05.016

Nutrition
Volume 27, Issue 5 , Pages 530-533, May 2011

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