Association of vitamin C status in diabetes mellitus: prevalence and predictors of vitamin C deficiency

Abstract Background Vitamin C is one of the most important micronutrient required for various physiological roles in the human system. Evidences suggest that there is an inadequate status of vitamin C in diabetes mellitus. The objectives of this study is to understand the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency in established type II diabetes mellitus patients and to study the correlation between various variables of diabetes mellitus with serum vitamin C levels. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study to assess the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency was carried out in diabetes patients. Fasting blood sugar levels, glycated hemoglobin, serum malondialdehyde levels, and lipid profile levels were correlated with serum vitamin C levels. Results The prevalence rate of hypovitaminosis C is found to be 55.13% among the enrolled patients. There is a significant increase in the systolic blood pressure levels in patients with inadequate as well as deficient vitamin C levels (p < 0.05). Inverse relationship exists between fasting blood sugar and vitamin C levels (p < 0.001). Similarly total cholesterol levels were also inversely related to the vitamin C levels (p = 0.0031). Body mass index, glycated hemoglobin, and fasting blood sugar levels are important predictors of vitamin C deficiencies. Conclusion Vitamin C deficiency is well established among diabetes mellitus patients. Deficiency of vitamin C levels has an impact on the serum malondialdehyde levels suggesting increased oxidative stress. The higher oxidative stress would have led to increase in glycated hemoglobin. Further research must be carried out to understand the beneficial effects of vitamin C supplementation in diabetes mellitus.