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Seasonal variation in plasma vitamin C concentration in Pitkäranta, Northwestern Russia

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, page 1115 (2013)Cite this article

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In the 1990s, extremely low plasma vitamin C concentrations were reported in the district of Pitkäranta, Northwestern Russia, during springtime in connection to population-risk factor surveys.1, 2 The surveys were conducted in springtime, when the supply of fresh vegetables and fruit in the area was remarkably poor. As the consumption of vitamin C-rich foods like vegetables, fruit and berries varies across seasons,3 it can be assumed that levels of plasma vitamin C vary as well.

To investigate whether plasma vitamin C concentrations vary by season, we measured plasma vitamin C concentrations in spring (April) and autumn (September) 1997 among the same 43 men and 56 women in Pitkäranta (aged 25–64 years). The vitamin C determinations were performed in the laboratory of the National Public Health Institute (the present National Institute for Health and Welfare) in Helsinki, Finland. Plasma total vitamin C was determined from metaphosphoric acid (MPA) extracts with an automated fluorimetric method using ortho-phenylenediamine.4

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland

    L Paalanen, R Prättälä, G Alfthan, I Salminen & T Laatikainen

Authors
  1. L Paalanen
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  2. R Prättälä
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  3. G Alfthan
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  4. I Salminen
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  5. T Laatikainen
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Correspondence to L Paalanen.

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Paalanen, L., Prättälä, R., Alfthan, G. et al. Seasonal variation in plasma vitamin C concentration in Pitkäranta, Northwestern Russia. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 1115 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.185

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.185

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