Vitamin C analysis in whole blood, plasma and cells using reduced glutathione as preservative (stabilizer): losses and redistribution.

The losses and redistribution of vitamin C in blood fractions (stabilized with reduced glutathione) during 4 hours of storage at room temperature in the dark was studied among 27 elderly women. Storage did not have a statistically significant (p greater than 0.05) effect on the mean vitamin C levels in cells, plasma and whole blood. The results point to a redistribution of vitamin C among blood fractions. It is concluded that vitamin C concentrations in cells rather than in plasma should be the principal indicator of the vitamin C status when blood (stabilized with reduced glutathione) is stored at room temperature before specimen handling.