Table 2.
Vitamin C Studies.
| Author, Year, Country | Study Type | No. Cases vs. Controls | Dosage, Duration | Baseline C Measured? | Wound Type | Study Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abrahmsohn et al., 1993, USA | RCT | 81 vs. 80 | 3 weeks, 500 mg t.i.d. | No, diet score | Dental extraction | Vit. C group healed faster (p = 0.01). 1.2% in vit. C group had dry socket vs. 10% of placebo. 12.3% in vit. C group healed slowly vs. 37.5% in placebo. No differences with gender or age. |
| Ekrol et al., 2014, Scotland | RCT | 169 vs. 167 | 500 mg daily for 50 days | No, diet score | Fracture of the distal radius | No difference in time to fracture-healing. In non-displaced fracture subgroup, greater wrist flexion deficit (p = 0.008), pinch strength deficit (p = 0.02) and proportion with higher pain-score in vit. C group at 6 weeks but not at other times. At 52 weeks, higher rate of complications (p = 0.043) and greater pain (p = 0.045) in displaced fracture C group. No mention of correction for multiple comparisons. Measures would not retain significance if this needs to be added. |
| Gunton et al., 2021, Australia | RCT | 7 vs. 9 | 500 mg daily for 8 weeks | Yes, 50%deficient | Foot ulcers | Healing at 8 weeks (primary endpoint) sig. better in vit C group (p = 0.041). Time to 50% reduction in wound volume faster. Healing without amputation in all in vit. C group vs. 5 of 9 controls. |
| Li et al., 2018, China | RCT | 65 vs. 63 | 300 mg daily for 1 week postop | No | Dental implants | C group sig. higher healing rates than controls at day 7 (p < 0.05). No difference in pain between groups. |
| Pisalsitsakul et al., 2022, Thailand | RCT | 10 vs. 12 | 10 days, 600 mg or 1500 mg t.i.d. | No. Meal record 7 days after extraction | Dental extraction | Pain scores sig. lower in 600 mg group vs. placebo (p < 0.05). Greater reduction at extraction site deficit in 600 mg/d vs. placebo (p < 0.05). Trend to reduced wound depth in 1500 mg group versus placebo (p < 0.07). |
| Taylor et al., 1974, England | RCT | 10 vs. 10 | 500 mg twice daily for 4 weeks | Yes, leucocyte levels, mean in placebo 24 μg/108 cells and 22 in tx group. | Pressure ulcers | Increased vitamin C in treatment group (65.5 vs. 25.8). Mean reduction of ulcer of 42.7% in placebo vs. 84% in C group (p < 0.005). |
| Ter Riet et al., 1995, The Netherlands | RCT | 43 vs. 45 | 500 mg twice daily for 12 weeks | Yes, but deficiencies at baseline NR | Pressure ulcers | Mean increase 14.9 mg/litre in tx group, placebo group rose by 4.8 mg/litre, No significant difference in healing rates, 0.21 cm2 in C and 0.27 cm2/week in controls. |
| Woolfe et al., 1984, U.S.A | RCT | 5 vs. 5 | 250 mg 4× day for 6 weeks | Yes, not different at baseline or 6 weeks | Gingivitis | No sig. correlations between Gingival Index. Did not find an increase in serum vit. C levels between tx and controls. |
| Yingcharoenthana et al., 2021, Thailand | Single-blind RCT |
10 vs. 10 vs. 10 | 600 mg daily for 2 weeks | No | Dental extraction | Reduction in socket depth sig. higher in C group vs. controls (p = 0.028). No difference in radiographic density of new bone formation between groups. |
RCT = randomised controlled trial, t.i.d. = three times a day, tx = treatment, no. = number, NR = not reported, sig. = significant, Vit. C = vitamin C.