Vitamin C supplementation to optimize growth, health and stress resistance in aquatic animals

Abstract

Vitamins are organic compounds that can be synthesized from other essential nutrients; however, they are required in trace amounts from an exogenous source for normal growth, reproduction and health. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, AA) is an essential micronutrient for normal growth and physiological function of most aquatic animals. In terrestrial animal nutrition, vitamin C has recently spurred scientific interest because of the increasing knowledge on vitamin C involvement in gene expression, cell cycle and reproduction in mammals; in addition, recent advances in molecular biology techniques allow the more effective estimation of the effect of vitamin C on metabolism and physiology. In contrast, this information is scarce in aquatic animal nutrition, as studies have essentially focused on the estimation of minimum vitamin C requirement for maximum growth and immune response as well as for the formulation of least‐cost diet. This scarcity of information is also due to the lack of well‐established indicators of vitamin C status in aquatic organisms. The present review summarizes and discusses information about vitamin C sources, bioavailability, deficiency and requirement in aquatic animals to plan further studies. In the future, vitamin C nutrition studies in aquaculture should also include immune responses, histopathology of the gills, liver, gonad development, gamete quality and quantity, fecundity, larvae survival and gene expression. Dietary vitamin C requirements should be estimated at every life‐history stage of cultured species. All this information will allow a better understanding of the essentiality of vitamin C in aquatic animal growth, development, reproduction and health.

Dietary bee pollen affects hepatic–intestinal histomorphometry of Nile tilapia fingerlings

“…Food additives are important for animal nutrition because they help to improve animal performance, health and the quality of their final products (Ribeiro et al, ). Several additives have been used for tilapia at various stages in order to improve growth, survival and animal health (Dawood & Koshio, , ; Dawood, Koshio, Abdel‐Daim, & Van Doan, ; Dawood, Koshio, & Esteban, ; Freccia et al, ; Schwarz, Furuya, Natali, Gaudezi, & Lima, ; Schwarz, Furuya, Natali, Michelato, & Gaudezi, ), including bee pollen (Abbass et al, ; El‐Asely et al, ).…”

“…additives are important for animal nutrition because they help to improve animal performance, health and the quality of their final products(Ribeiro et al, 2012). Several additives have been used for tilapia at various stages in order to improve growth, survival and animal health(Dawood & Koshio, 2016a, 2016bDawood, Koshio, Abdel-Daim, & Van Doan, 2018;Dawood, Koshio, & Esteban, 2017;Freccia et al, 2016;Schwarz, Furuya, Natali, Gaudezi, & Lima, 2011;Schwarz, Furuya, Natali, Michelato, & Gaudezi, 2010), including bee pollen(Abbass et al, 2012;El- Asely et al, 2014).For example, Abbass et al (2012) evaluated bee pollen as a feed additive and its effects on zootechnical performance of Nile tilapia (~45 g) in an open system with continuous water exchange. The authors found that 2.5% of propolis or pollen in the diets improved the specific growth rate, average daily gain, and feed efficiency of tilapia.…”

Molecular, biochemical and histopathological studies on the ameliorative effect of vitamin C on the renal and muscle tissues of Nile tilapia fish ( Oreochromis niloticus ) affected by the usage of engine oil

“…Moreover, National Research Council (NRC) () reported that vitamin C is important in growth, collagen formation, iron metabolism and haematology, reproduction, response to stressors, wound healing and immune response. Also, Dawood, () mentioned that most aquatic animals need vitamin C for their normal growth and physiological functions. In the present study, we recorded improvement in group III in which vitamin C was supplemented.…”

Beneficial roles of feed additives as immunostimulants in aquaculture: a review

“…Vitamin C is one of the important nutrients because it is a powerful antioxidant and immunomodulator for fish/shrimps. The fish and shrimp body need vitamin C to remain proper health condition (Dawood & Koshio 2016b). Vitamin C has been known to be an important micronutrient correlating with enhanced aquatic animal performances (Gao et al .…”