Effects of maternal intake of ascorbic acid on the postnatal metabolism of this vitamin in the guinea pig.

Guinea pigs were fed diets containing 0.04% (control), 0.56% (E-1) or 0.86% (E-2) ascorbic acid during the last half of pregnancy. Levels of ascorbic acid in serum and various organs of the mother and fetuses were higher in the animals receiving the E-1 diet than in controls. Between 5 and 10 days after birth ascorbic acid catabolism was measured in the offspring of the various groups by determining the rate of excretion of 14Co2 after an injection of L-[1-14C] ascorbic acid. Compared with controls, pups from the E-1 and E-2 groups had similar increased ascorbic acid catabolism. Animals in the E-1 group, fed a 0.006% (MDR) ascorbic acid diet from day 11 after birth, had markedly decreased ascorbic acid catabolism after ten days on the MDR diet. After 20 days on this diet ascorbic acid catabolism was similar to controls fed the MDR diet. By contrast, catabolism values remained elevated in pups maintained on the E-1 diet. Similarly, tissue ascorbic acid levels among all groups of offspring reflected comparable changes. Prolonged high maternal intake of ascorbic acid during pregnancy increases the metabolism of this vitamin in the neonatal period. Additional postnatal effects depend on dietary manipulation and may either be lasting or transient.