Vitamin C Deficiency


	VITAMIN C DEFICIENCY


	Alternative Medicine > Healthy Living > Vitamin C Deficiency

The Effects of Vitamin C Deficiency

The most common effect of a Vitamin C deficiency is scurvy. In adults, the deficiency is the result of a diet that contains insufficient Vitamin C.

Vitamin C deficiency may occur in people who do not eat enough whole fruits or vegetables, or who eat more meat products than fresh foods. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, burns, and surgery greatly elevate the body's needs for Vitamin C and the risk of Vitamin C deficiency increases. Smoking also elevates the body's need for Vitamin C, and the requirement is thus elevated to 30-50%.

Scurvy in newborns is not common as breast milk generally supplies adequate amounts of Vitamin C. Likewise, many of today's formulas are fortified with enough Vitamin C. With adults, Vitamin C deficiency can occur as quickly as in a few months of a low Vitamin C diet. Signs or symptoms of a Vitamin C deficiency are bleeding underneath the skin around hair follicles or bruising, gum bleeding, and joint pain. Other symptoms present as depression, weight loss, fatigue, irritability, and overall general weakness. The gums will appear purple, have swelling, and be spongy to the touch. In advanced stages, teeth will loosen. An individual with Vitamin C deficiency will also experience consistent infections, and wounds that take long to heal, or do not heal at all. In babies, symptoms are very similar with respect to irritability and they will also experience a lack of appetite and pain during physical movement. Bone growth will be impaired, and there is a concern for unnecessary bleeding and anemia.

Currently a diagnosis of scurvy will be given by the basis of symptoms alone. Blood work may indicate very low quantities of Vitamin C. Scurvy is treated easiest with daily Vitamin C supplementation and will often be accompanied with iron supplements to combat any possible anemia.

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