Psychopharmacology(1981) 75: 98- 99
9 Springer-Verlag 1981
The Influence of Large Doses of Vitamin C
on Psychological Functioning
David Benton
Department of Psychology, University CoIlegeof Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, England
Abstract. The suggestion has been made that the daily taking
of large doses of Vitamin C may decrease the likelihood of
contracting a wide range of human disorders. The present
study has examined the possible psychological side-effects of
large doses of this vitamin. Evidence is presented that these
large doses produce a disruption of psychological functioning
resulting in decreased reaction times and psychomotor
coordination.
Key words: Ascorbic acid - Vitamin C - Reaction-times -
Motor coordination
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is sythesized in a variety of plants
and many animals. Man, the other primates and the guinea
pig are exceptions in that they are unable to produce the
compound for themselves. The most clearly established role
for the vitamin is in maintaining the intercellular material of
cartilage, dentine and bone, although it is thought to be
required for a variety of metabolic processes.
Although the recommended daily dose of Vitamin C is
75 mg for an adult male and 70 mg for a female (Food and
Nutrition Board ofU. S. National Research Council) various
popular books (Pauling 1970; Webster 1971) have recom-
mended doses well in excess of these figures. The contentious
suggestions have been made that daily doses from 1 - 1 0 g
may act as a prophylactic or actually cure disorders induding
alcoholism, allergies, anaemia, burns, cardiovascular disease,
cancers of the bladder and lungs, dermatitis, miscarriage,
multiple sclerosis and tuberculosis (Webster 1971). The most
widely proposed view is that Vitamin C may protect against
the common cold. Pauling (1970) argues that primitive man
ate much more Vitamin C-rich vegetation than is usual today
and that the medically recommended doses, although suf-
ficient to prevent the deficiency disorder scurvy, ignore the
benefits of high doses.
Although many of the suggested benefits of Vitamin C
iack a scientific basis, the drug industry has answered the
demand for high doses of ascorbic acid; these are readily
available without prescription. Although there is little evi-
dence that physiological side-effects resulLfrom even very
large doses, there is reason to suspect that behavioural
influences may occur. Pfeiffer et al. (1968) found that oral
doses of 1 or 3 g of Vitamin C caused changes in elec-
troencephalogram (EEG) recordings, producing an effect
typical of Sedative drugs that lasted for the 6 h of testing. The
report that Vitamin C influenced EEG records suggested the
possibility of behavioural side-effects. The present study has
0033-3158/81/0075/0098/$01.00
Psychopharmacology
therefore examined the influence of large doses of ascorbic
acid on a series of psychological tasks.
Materials and Methods
The subjects were 37 undergraduates (mean age 19.6 years),
who were subjected to the series of tests described below. Half
the subjects were male and half female, but as there were no
sex differences the results are pooled. Exactly I week later
the subjects were divided, using a double blind procedure,
into three treatment groups receiving a placebo, 1 g or 2 g of
Vitamin C. The drug was an effervescent preparation (Boots,
Nottingham, UK) dissolved in orange concentrate diluted
with water (any Vitamin C in the concentrate was destroyed
by prolonged boiling). The placebo was soda water added to
the orange concentrate. One-and-a-half hours after drug
administration, the same series of psychological tests was
given for a second time. Simple reaction times were measured
using an electronic counter by taking the time to press a single
button when a single light appeared. The subjects were given a
series of ten trials; the stimuli appeared without warning at
inter-trial intervals that varied randomly from 5-10 s. A mean
value for each subject was obtained.
Complex reaction times were obtained using a console
that had ten lights in a straight line, with a button under each
one. Using his preferred hand, the time in ms the subject took
to press the button underneath the light switched on was the
measure taken. A series of 20 warm-up trials was given,
followed by ten experimental trials. A mean of the experimen-
tal trials was calculated.
The pursuit rotor task consisted of a turntable 12 in. in
diameter that revolved clockwise at 60 rpm. The target was
1 in. in diameter, 4 in. from the centre. The task involved
trying to keep an articulated metal stylus on the target for a
30 s test period. When the stylus was in contact with the target
it activated a counter.
A Spiral After Image was measured using a 9 in. disc with
an Archimedes spiral drawn on it, that revolved at 60 rpm for
30 s (Holland 1969). The spiral was a black line drawn on a
white background. The subject stood 1 m from the spiral and
while it was revolving, experienced the sensation that it was
shrinking, that is, the lines were returning to the centre. They
were told that when the disc was abruptly stopped they would
have the sensation that the spiral was expanding. The subjects
reported when the expansion "after image" stopped, and this
period was measured in s. This task is known to be susceptible
to stimulant and depressant drugs (Holland 1969).
 99

Table 1. The influenceof Vitamin C on psy~l~otogicalfunctioning. All results are differencesbetween the first and second testing-sessionsexpressed as a
percentage of the score on the first test. The results are analysed using Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance. The results are mean percentage
change + SD. Note that positive.valuesreflect a disruption of performance in the reaction time tasks, but an improved performance-onthe pursuit rotor

Test Placebo 1g 2g
(N = ]'3) (N = 12) (N = 12)

Simple reaction time + 0.08 _+ 10.3 + 4.0 + 11.8 + 0.9 _+ 13.13 NS

Complex reaction time - 4.6 + 5.2 + 3.0 _+ 5.6 + 4.9 _+ 8.5 P<0.02
Pursuit rotor +40713 _+59.4 +151.0 _+78.5 +78.2 _+81.9 P < 0.05
Spiral after-image - tt.2_+ 24.1 + 7.0 _+44.6, -12.8 +_27.9 NS

Results and D i s c u s s i o n of tolerance; alternatively other behavioural consequences

The results are presented i~ Table 1. There was a dose-
dependent decrease in the complex reaction times but no
significant decrease in simple reaction times. The psycho-
motor coordination, as measured by the pursuit rotor, was
significantly disrupted, again in a dose-dependent manner.
Vitamin C did not significantly influence the length of the
Spiral After Image. The impression gained is that these large
doses of Vitamin C disrupt complex psychological processes,
fulfilling the prediction from the EEG study (Pfeiffer et al.
1968).
Danford a n d M u n r o (1980) concluded: " I n the strict
sense of the word, Vitamin C may be said to possess few,,
pharmacological actions. Administration of the c o m p o u n d i ~
amounts greatly in excess of the physiological requiremems
causes few demonstrable effects,. 2'. The present fmdings are
consistent with another view, that large doses of Vitamin C
have a pharmacological influence u p o n the. central nervous
system and hence behaviour. However, it must be re-
membered that the present acute administration o f a single
dose of Vitamin C differs in a number of respects from the
procedure advocated by Pauling (1970). It may well be that
the behaviourat impact of the chronic administration of large
doses differs from the present study. It is possible that long-
term self-administration is associated with the development
may occur only after prolonged administration. The answer
to these questions await further studies. However, the present
results at least raise the possibility that those taking large
doses of Vitamin C may suffer behavioural impairment. The
suppression of reaction times and decreased motor control
may be significant for those who operate dangerous ma-
chinery or drive a a car after taking large doses oftbe vitamin.
References
Danford DE, Munro HN (1980) Water-soluble vitamins. In: (Gilman
AG, Goodman LS, Gilman A eds.) The pharmacological basis of
therapeutics, 6th edn Macmillan Publishing, New York
Holland HC (1969) The spiral after effect. Pergamon, London
Pauling L (1970) Vitamin C and the common cold: W. H. Freeman, San
Francisco
Pfeiffer CC, Goldstein L, Murphree HB, Nicols RC (1968) A critical
survey of possible biochemical stimuIants. In: (Efron DH ed)
Psychopharmacology. a review of progress. Department of Health,
Education and Welfare, Washington, DC
Webster J (1971)Vitamin C. The protective vitamin. Award Books, New
York
Received June 12, 1981