Vitamin C and vitamin E status in guinea pig tissues following estrogen administration

Previous studies reported lower tissue vitamin C levels in rats following estrogen administration. This study examined the effects of two weeks of daily estrogen administration (40 mu g beta-estradiol 3-benzoate per kg BW) on tissue vitamin C status in male and female guinea pigs, who unlike rats, require dietary vitamin C. Estrogen administration resulted in significant vitamin C loss in heart and liver from both genders and in plantaris muscle from male guinea pigs. However, estrogen administration did not affect vitamin C status in female plantaris or male lung, while resulting in significantly elevated vitamin C level in female lung. Tissue vitamin E status was unaffected by estrogen administration in either gender. Estrogen administration induced GSH loss in some tissues, indicating increased metabolic or oxidative stress and lowered growth rates and nutrient intakes particularly in male guinea pigs. However, tissue glycogen levels were not always affected by estrogen administration. Hence while, the effects of estrogen administration on tissue vitamin C status may in part be due to its effect on metabolism and nutrient intake, these factors cannot fully account for all the effects on tissue vitamin C status seen in this study. It is possible that estrogen administration has other tissue specific effects on vitamin C metabolism in guinea pigs (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.