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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 364 0649
Email
anitra.carr@otago.ac.nz
Position
Research Professor
Department
Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science (Christchurch)
Qualifications
BSc(Hons)(Cant) PhD(Otago)
Research summary
Vitamin C bioavailability and health effects; recommended dietary intakes; fatigue and quality of life; cancer; severe infection; clinical studies

Research

Professor Anitra Carr's area of research expertise is the role of vitamin C in human health and disease. Professor Carr has a background in biomedical research and carries out translational ‘bench-to-bedside’ studies. She is currently running both observational and interventional studies investigating the requirements for vitamin C in different disorders and the potential health effects of both oral and intravenous vitamin C. She is particularly interested in the role of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic conditions such as severe infection, cancer and metabolic disorders.

Professor Carr obtained a PhD from the Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch, followed by an American Heart Association Post-doctoral Fellowship which was carried out at the Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, USA. Whilst there she produced a number of high impact publications on the role of vitamin C in human health and disease; one of these supported the most recent increase of the US recommended dietary intakes for vitamin C by the US Food and Nutrition Board of the Institutes of Medicine.

Professor Carr returned to the University of Otago, Christchurch, and was awarded a Sir Charles Hercus Health Research Fellowship from the Health Research Council of New Zealand to undertake research into the role of vitamin C in severe infection, specifically pneumonia and sepsis. She has also investigated the effects of intravenous vitamin C on cancer and chemotherapy-related symptoms and quality of life. Professor Carr hopes to not only elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action of vitamin C, but to also improve the outcomes of patients with these conditions.

Publications

Carr, A. C. (2025). Do liposomal vitamin C formulations have improved bioavailability? A scoping review identifying future research directions. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 137(1), e70067. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.70067 Journal - Research Article

Carr, A. C. (2025). Vitamin C status of pregnant and lactating women: Negative associations with body weight and current smoking. Nutrition Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2025.05.001 Journal - Research Article

Lykkesfeldt, J., Carr, A. C., & Tveden-Nyborg, P. (2025). The pharmacology of Vitamin C. Pharmacological Reviews. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmr.2025.100043 Journal - Research Article

Rosengrave, P., Williman, J., Shaw, G., & Carr, A. C. (2024). Assessing the impact of physical, mental and cognitive impairments on health-related quality of life in sepsis survivors following intensive care admission in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 137(1607), 22-33. Retrieved from https://www.nzmj.org.nz/ Journal - Research Article

Carr, A., Myint, P. K., Vijewardane, S., Johnstone, A., Crook, J., & Lykkesfeldt, J. (2024). RDA for vitamin C revisited: Problems with Increasing population bodyweight. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice & Research / Revue canadienne de la pratique et de la recherche en diététique, 85(3), (pp. 314-315). doi: 10.3148/cjdpr-2024-020 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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