The Study
Iron prevents ascorbic acid (vitamin C) induced hydrogen peroxide accumulation in copper contaminated drinking water
This study was done in a lab with water and chemicals, not in people. It shows that when you mix vitamin C and copper in water, it makes hydrogen peroxide—but adding iron stops it. That’s interesting, but it doesn’t mean eating iron will protect your body from vitamin C.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
When vitamin C is in acidic water with copper, it makes hydrogen peroxide — a chemical that can damage cells. But if there's even a tiny bit of iron in the water, it stops that from happening.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 53 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This could explain why iron in drinking water might protect your cells from damage caused by vitamin C in acidic environments like the stomach.
- 2In 12 out of 48 drinking water samples, vitamin C and copper made more than 400 µM of hydrogen peroxide.
- 3Adding just 0.2 mg/L of iron stopped all of it.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Free Radical Research
Year
2005
Authors
P. Jansson, C. Lindqvist, T. Nordström
Related Content
Claims (4)
When free iron is present, high doses of vitamin C produce hydrogen peroxide, which increases damage to cells.
When ascorbic acid is in acidic drinking water with copper ions, hydrogen peroxide forms; adding a small amount of iron stops this hydrogen peroxide from forming.
Oxalic acid, formed when vitamin C breaks down, works with iron to break down hydrogen peroxide through a previously unrecognized chemical process.
When ascorbic acid is added to water containing copper and at low pH levels, it produces hydrogen peroxide, and in 12 of 48 tested household water samples, the hydrogen peroxide concentration exceeded 400 micromolar after incubation.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.