A Study on the Effects of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) on Reaction Time in Healthy Young Adults

Background: Ascorbate (vitamin C) is a vital antioxidant molecule in the brain. Ascorbate is proposed as a neuromodulator of glutamatergic, dopaminergic, cholinergic and GABAergic transmission and related behaviours. Reaction time indicates processing capability of the central nervous system (speed and accuracy), and sensorymotor association, measuring attentiveness, alertness, and arousal of a person. The role of ascorbic acid in bringing about improvement of pathologically altered neural functioning is well eastablished. Whether vitamin C can further improve upon normal psychomotor functioning in healthy young person is what remains to be seen.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of ingestion of moderately large amount of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) on simple auditory and visual reaction time in young healthy subjects.

Settings and Design: Study involved 200 healthy young adults (age range 17-20 years) of whom 97 were males and 103 were females. The subjects were administered 1000 mg of vitamin C daily for 14 days. Simple visual and auditory reaction times were recorded using a reaction time apparatus (Response Analyzer YSRT 302) before and after administration of vitamin C for 14 days.

Results and Conclusion: Statistical analysis was done using paired 't' test. A significant improvement (P-value < 0.0001) was observed in both visual and auditory reaction times after administration of vitamin C. Males reacted significantly faster (P-value < 0.0001) than females to both auditory and visual stimuli. We conclude that ingestion of a moderately large amount of ascorbic acid brings about an improvement in the simple reaction time and hence ability to concentrate in healthy young individuals.