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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 Molecular Medicine (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

Al-Busaidi, I. S., Carr, A. C., Harris, C., Mangin, D., & Hudson, B. (2026). Mapping the service models and outcomes from general practitioners with special interests/extended roles in Aotearoa New Zealand: A scoping review. Journal of Primary Health Care. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1071/HC25174 Journal - Research Other

Wilson, R. B., Liang, Y., Kaushal, D., & Carr, A. (2026). Relationship between hypovitaminosis C, obesity, and features of metabolic syndrome: A narrative review. Nutrition Reviews. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaf230 Journal - Research Article

Al-Busaidi, I. S., Carr, A. C., Harris, C., Mangin, D., & Hudson, B. (2025, November). Unlocking hidden capacity: Mapping special interest and extended role GP services in Aotearoa New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the Academic GP conference, Hamilton, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Carr, A. C. (2025). Intravenous vitamin C as a primary cause of renal failure is not supported by the evidence base. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 138(1627), 141-143. doi: 10.26635/6965.7264 Journal - Research Other

Crequer, N., McCall, C., Swanson, A., Vlasiuk, E., Chambers, S. T., & Carr, A. C. (2025). Clustering of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalised adults in the Christchurch Region: association with socio-economic deprivation. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 138(1617), 85-99. doi: 10.26635/6965.6905 Journal - Research Article

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