Effects of Vitamin C and E on Certain Blood Cell Parameters: A Study on Male Undergraduate Asthmatic of University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

An antioxidant is a substance that protects cells from the damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules made by the process of oxidation during normal metabolism). Vitamin C and E are examples of antioxidants. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of Vitamin C and E on some Red blood cell parameters using 35 Subjects which were grouped into 7 groups. (Group A- Negative control, Group B- positive control administered with Vitamin E, Group C -Asthmatic subjects administered with Vitamin C, Group D-Smokers subjects administered with Vitamin E.) Subjects in group B, C and D were orally administered with 1000IU of Vitamin E once daily for 28days. Subjects in group B, C served as the positive control that were administered Vitamin C and Vitamin E once daily for 28 days while group A served as negative control without any administration of vitamins. Blood samples were taken on the 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th day of administration through the venal puncture. The result of the study showed that Vitamin C and E was unable to attenuate the effects of Asthma on Red blood cell parameters such as Red blood cell count, hematocit and Heamoglobin concentration as the value of p>0.05 In both male and female subjects, However Vitamin E though did not proof to improve Red blood cell count and other parameters, Vitamin E was able to decrease the Red blood cell distribution width, the value of p<0.05 which signifies that Vitamin E intake in asthmatic subjects is capable of maintaining the shape and sizes of Red blood cells in male subjects.