Ascorbic acid and fractures in children with myelomeningocele.
Ascorbic acid intake of sixty-seven patients with myelomeningocele, ages one through eight years, was evaluated in two groups, fracture and non-fracture, to compare their intake of ascorbic acid from food-plus-supplement, food-only, and supplement-only with the recommended allowances. Intake from food-plus-supplement exceeded the allowance for 90 per cent of the fracture and 83 per cent of the non-fractured patients. Intake from food-only exceeded the recommended allowance in 79 per cent of the fracture and 75 per cent of the non-fracture subjects. All supplementations exceeded 100 per cent of the recommended allowance. There was no significant difference in the ascorbic acid intakes of fracture and non-fracture patients. Since there was no apparent correlation between fractures and ascorbic acid intake, we do not recommend ascorbic acid supplementation to prevent fractures. If such high levels are suggested, the potentially harmful effects of excessive ascorbic acid in growing children must be carefully considered.