Evidence mapPaperPMID 41441014Full record

ReviewMetabolites2025

Pathophysiological Role and Therapeutic Potential of Vitamin C in Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Christiano Argano, Valentina Orlando, Dalila Maggio, Chiara Pollicino, Alessandra Torres, Virginia Cangialosi, Stefania Biscaglia Manno, Salvatore Corrao

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Metabolites, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Christiano ArganoDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Relevance and High Specialization Hospital Trust, ARNAS Civico, Di Cristina, Benfratelli, 90127 Palermo, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-2662-8931
Valentina OrlandoDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties [PROMISE], Univeristy of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Dalila MaggioDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties [PROMISE], Univeristy of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Chiara PollicinoDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties [PROMISE], Univeristy of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Alessandra TorresDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties [PROMISE], Univeristy of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Virginia CangialosiDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties [PROMISE], Univeristy of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Stefania Biscaglia MannoDepartment of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties [PROMISE], Univeristy of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Salvatore CorraoDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Relevance and High Specialization Hospital Trust, ARNAS Civico, Di Cristina, Benfratelli, 90127 Palermo, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5621-1374

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recently, a growing interest has been focused to the role of vitamin C in chronic diseases. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and the Metabolic Syndrome are complex, chronic disorders intrinsically linked by a common underlying element, such as chronic low-grade inflammation and excessive oxidative stress. Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is an essential water-soluble micronutrient and a highly potent non-enzymatic antioxidant that is critical for scavenging reactive oxygen species and maintaining cellular redox balance. It represents a cofactor for many enzymes, being involved in many biological functions, such as normal immune system functioning, catecholamine metabolism, dietary iron absorption, and collagen biosynthesis. Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome frequently exhibit lower circulating and dietary vitamin C levels compared to healthy controls, a deficiency that may be associated with disease-related inflammation and higher body weight. In this sense, it has been shown that vitamin C improves skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in experimental settings and modulates critical functions like vascular endothelial health. However, this potential is challenged by the fact that chronic hyperglycemia can interfere with the active cellular uptake and transport of vitamin C, potentially leading to relative intracellular deficiency in diabetic patients regardless of intake. It is interesting to note that different studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between vitamin C concentrations and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Vitamin C supplementation in people with diabetes and metabolic syndrome has controversial effects. While several studies indicate a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose or HbA1c, others revealed no significant effect on insulin resistance. This review aims to explore the pathophysiological role and therapeutic potential of vitamin C in type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Indexed as

antioxidantmetabolic syndromeoxidative stresspathophysiologytherapeutic potentialtype 2 diabetes mellitusvitamin C

Identifiers

PMID41441014
PMCPMC12734993

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.