Intravenous vitamin C administration reduces fatigue in office workers: A double-blind randomized controlled trial
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Studies of the efficacy of vitamin C treatment for fatigue have yielded inconsistent results. One of the reasons for this inconsistency could be the difference in delivery routes. Therefore, we planned a clinical trial with intravenous vitamin C administration. METHODS: We evaluated the effect of intravenous vitamin C on fatigue in office workers. A group of 141 healthy volunteers, aged 20 to 49 years participated in this randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. The trial group received 10 grams of vitamin C with normal saline intravenously, while the placebo group received normal saline only. Since vitamin C is a well-known antioxidant, oxidative stress was measured. Fatigue score, oxidative stress, and plasma vitamin C levels were measured before intervention, and again two hours and one day after intervention. Adverse events were monitored. RESULTS: The fatigue scores measured at two hours after intervention and one day after intervention were significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.004); fatigue scores decreased in the vitamin C group after two hours and remained lower for one day. Trial also led to higher plasma vitamin C levels and lower oxidative stress compared to the placebo group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). When data analysis was refined by dividing each group into high-baseline and low-baseline subgroups, it was observed that fatigue was reduced in the lower baseline vitamin C level group after two hours and after one day (p = 0.004). The same did not hold for the higher baseline group (p = 0.206). CONCLUSION: Thus, intravenous vitamin C reduced fatigue at two hours, and the effect persisted for one day. There were no significant differences in adverse events between two groups. High dose intravenous vitamin C proved to be safe and effective against fatigue in this study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The clinical trial registration of this trial is http://ClinicalTrials.govNCT00633581.
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Vitamin C supplementation (oral 500 mg daily for 4 weeks, oral 6 g daily for 2 weeks, or intravenous 10 g) reduces perceived fatigue in various populations.
“For example, 20 obese adults received per oral route either 500 mg of vitamin C or a placebo daily for 4 weeks. Ratings of perceived exertion during moderate exercise and general fatigue scores were significantly decreased in subjects receiving vitamin C [123].”
From Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as [125]
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- Authors
- Suh, S.-Y., Bae, W. K., Ahn, H.-Y., Choi, S.-E., Jung, G.-C., & Yeom, C. H.
- Affiliations
- Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital (KR)
- Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (KR)
- Dongguk University (KR)
- Asan Medical Center (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Yeom, Chang Hwan
- Venue
- Nutrition Journal
- Published
- 2012-01-20
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 7-7
- ISSN
- 1475-2891 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3273429
- OpenAlex
- W2130410881
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 3.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Nutrition Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Vitamin C and Antioxidants Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Keywords
- intravenous vitamin C, vitamin C, fatigue, office workers, oxidative stress, plasma vitamin C levels, antioxidant supplementation, delivery routes
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Antioxidants, Ascorbic Acid, Double-Blind Method, Fatigue, Female, Humans, Injections, Intravenous, Male, Middle Aged, Placebos, Vitamins, Oxidative Stress
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