Interaction between ascorbic acid and acetylsalicylic acid and their effects on nutritional status in man.

Healthy adults were given four diets, each one for one week: Low ascorbic acid diet, low ascorbic acid diet plus acetylsalicylic acid (3 g/d), high ascorbic acid diet (1 g/d) and high ascorbic acid diet plus acetylsalicylic acid. At low ascorbic acid intake, acetylsalicylic acid increased urinary ascorbic acid, but at high ascorbic acid intake, acetylsalicylic acid instead decreased urinary ascorbic acid. The latter effect was probably due to an inhibited intestinal absorbtion of ascorbic acid, and the former effect may reflect decreased protein binding and tissue uptake of ascorbic acid caused by acetylsalicylic acid. In no instance, acetylsalicylic acid affected plasma ascorbic acid. The effect of ascorbic acid on substances related to lipid peroxidation was investigated. The high ascorbic acid diets decreased plasma lipoperoxide and retinol binding protein. No change was observed in serum tocopherol, iron status, erythrocyte lipid fluorescence, plasma ceruloplasmin, urinary and plasma selenium and glutathione peroxidase activity. Thus, one-week supplementation of ascorbic acid seems to have only marginal effects on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status.