International Journal of Medical and All Body Health Research  |  e-ISSN: 2582-8940  |  Double-Blind Peer Review  |  Open Access  |  CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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     2026:7/4

International Journal of Medical and All Body Health Research

e-ISSN: 2582-8940 | Open Access

Vitamin C Supplementation and Sputum Conversion in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study

Authors

  • Dhananjay Bhat
  • Shubhendu Gupta
  • Rishi Rana
  • Vivek Gautam

Article Information

Volume / Issue7 / 3 (July-August 2026)
Pages230-235
AccessOpen Access

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Abstract

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients frequently present with compromised nutritional and antioxidant status, which may impair immune clearance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) has antioxidant and immune-supportive properties and has been proposed as a low-cost adjunct to standard anti-tuberculosis treatment (ATT).
Objective: To evaluate the effect of vitamin C supplementation, given alongside standard ATT, on the rate of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) sputum smear conversion in newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients during the intensive phase of treatment.
Methods: A randomized, parallel-group study was conducted in 80 newly diagnosed, sputum-smear-positive, ATT-naïve pulmonary TB patients aged 20–65 years. Participants were allocated to receive either vitamin C (1000 mg/day) plus standard ATT (n=40) or placebo plus standard ATT (n=40). Sputum AFB smears were examined every two weeks for two months. Categorical outcomes were compared using the chi-square test; continuous outcomes (serum vitamin C levels) were compared using an independent-samples t-test. Significance was set at P<0.05.
Results: All 40 patients (100%) in the vitamin C group achieved sputum conversion within the first month, compared with 8 of 40 (20%) in the placebo group; the remaining placebo patients converted in the second month. The difference in conversion rate between groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Mean serum vitamin C levels rose substantially more in the vitamin C group than in the placebo group over the study period.
Conclusion: Vitamin C supplementation during the intensive phase of ATT was associated with significantly faster AFB sputum conversion in pulmonary TB patients. Given its low cost and mild side-effect profile, vitamin C may be a useful, inexpensive adjunct to standard TB treatment, though confirmation in larger, multi-centric trials is warranted.
 

Keywords

Pulmonary tuberculosisVitamin CAscorbic acidSputum conversionAcid-fast bacilliAnti-tuberculosis treatment

How to Cite

Bhat, D., Gupta, S., Rana, R., & Gautam, V. (2026). Vitamin C Supplementation and Sputum Conversion in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study. International Journal of Medical and All Body Health Research, 7(3), 230-235. https://doi.org/10.54660/IJMBHR.2026.7.3.230-235

Bhat, Dhananjay, et al. "Vitamin C Supplementation and Sputum Conversion in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study." International Journal of Medical and All Body Health Research, vol. 7, no. 3, 2026, pp. 230-235. https://doi.org/10.54660/IJMBHR.2026.7.3.230-235.

Bhat, D., Gupta, S., Rana, R. and Gautam, V. (2026) 'Vitamin C Supplementation and Sputum Conversion in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study', International Journal of Medical and All Body Health Research, 7(3), pp. 230-235. doi: 10.54660/IJMBHR.2026.7.3.230-235.

Bhat D, Gupta S, Rana R, Gautam V. Vitamin C Supplementation and Sputum Conversion in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study. International Journal of Medical and All Body Health Research. 2026;7(3):230-235. doi:10.54660/IJMBHR.2026.7.3.230-235

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