*3.3. Vitamin C Status of Plasma, Urine and Semen*

Plasma ascorbate levels increased significantly during the six week intervention phase, from ~23 μmol/L to a maximum of ~50 μmol/L (Table 2). There were no significant differences between the two groups during this period or during the four week washout phase (Figure 2). Similarly, there were no significant differences between the two treatment groups for either urinary ascorbate excretion (*P* = 0.503) or seminal ascorbate levels (*P* = 0.676) (Table 2).

**Figure 2.** Plasma ascorbate concentrations in vitamin C group (50 mg/day, ●) and kiwifruit group (0.5/day, ○). Data represent mean ± SEM. Two way analysis of variance with Fisher pairwise multiple comparison procedure indicated a significant increase in plasma ascorbate from one week post-intervention (week 6) onwards, but no significant difference between the two interventions.

*3.4. Vitamin C Status of Leukocytes and Skeletal Muscle Tissue* 

The ascorbate levels in mononuclear cells and neutrophils in both intervention groups increased following the six week intervention (Table 2), but there were no differences between the two interventions (*P* = 0.798). The baseline skeletal muscle tissue ascorbate levels were ~15 nmoL/g wet weight, and following intervention there were 3.5- to 4-fold increases in tissue ascorbate levels in both treatment groups (Table 2). Once again, there were no significant differences between the two intervention groups (*P* = 0.429).
