Since the human body is unable to produce vitamin C, it must be obtained through diet. Skin, bone, teeth, and cartilage are just a few of the tissues in your body that require it for maintenance and repair. It is easy to fall victims to many ailments when there is a vitamin C deficiency in your diet.

Scurvy is a disorder that develops when your diet is consistently deficient in vitamin C. Vitamin C pills and a diet high in vitamin C can be used to treat vitamin C deficiency.

What is Vitamin C?

A category of compounds known as vitamin C is required by the body in minute amounts to maintain health. Ascorbic acid is another name for vitamin C. Since the human body cannot produce it, it must be a part of your diet. Vitamin C is a substance that the body needs for the health and repair of many tissues, including:

• Skin
• Bone
• Cartilage
• Ligaments
• Tendons
• Vitamin C is also necessary for the production of collagen
• Walls of blood vessels
• Teeth

What is Vitamin C Deficiency?

The absence of sufficient amounts of vitamin C in your diet leads to a deficiency, or lack, of vitamin C in your body. Over time, a deficiency in vitamin C prevents the production of new collagen. This affects the health and repair of your body by causing numerous tissues to begin deteriorating. Scurvy is a condition caused by a persistent (chronic) vitamin C deficiency that typically lasts for three months or longer.

FAQs on Vitamin C Deficiency

Is Vitamin C Deficiency Common?

Scurvy caused by a lack of vitamin C is uncommon in the UK. Some demographics are particularly susceptible to vitamin C deficiencies. They consist of:

• People may not be eating a healthy, balanced diet because they are drug or alcohol-dependent.
• People who follow extremely rigid diets.
• Those with modest incomes who don’t frequently purchase foods high in vitamin C.
• Those who suffer from diseases like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, which impair the body’s capacity to digest and absorb food.
• Older individuals, whose diets may be less diversified.
• Smokers: Vitamin C from food is less likely to be absorbed by smokers, and vitamin C is also used up more quickly by smokers.
• Women who are breastfeeding or pregnant, as they require larger doses of vitamin C.

How Much Vitamin C Should I Get Daily?

Your age and sex will determine how much vitamin C is recommended for you to consume each day. Different countries may have different recommendations. Women who are pregnant or nursing also require increased dietary intake of vitamin C.

• Children between the ages of 1 and 10 require 30 mg of vitamin C daily.
• Children between the ages of 11 and 14 require 35 mg of vitamin C daily.
• Adults and children over the age of 15 must take 40 mg daily.

Causes of Vitamin C Deficiency

Adults typically develop a vitamin C deficit as a result of a vitamin C-poor diet. For instance, a diet lacking fresh fruits and vegetables might lead to vitamin C insufficiency. Additionally, cooking might reduce the amount of vitamin C in food.

The danger of vitamin C deficiency and the body’s need for vitamin C can both be considerably increased by the following conditions:

• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• conditions that result in a high temperature or inflammation
• and excessive thyroid activity (hyperthyroidism)
• a protracted bout of diarrhea
• Surgery\Burns
• Smoking increases the need for vitamin C by 30%.

What Are The Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency?

Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency may include:

• Weakness and fatigue are frequently the initial signs of vitamin C insufficiency.
• joint and muscle discomfort.
• Simple bruising
• Spots on your skin that resemble little, reddish-blue bruises.
• The presence of dry skin is another symptom.
• Hair-splitting
• Gum swelling
• Tooth discoloration
• Unexpected and sudden gum bleeding
• Nosebleeds
• Poor wound healing
• Issues with infection defense
• Joint bleeding that results in excruciating joint discomfort
• Alterations to your bones
• Tooth decay
• Loss of weight

Lack of vitamin C can cause shortness of breath, nerve issues, high temperature (fever), and fits if not identified and addressed (convulsions). Some individuals with untreated vitamin C deficiency can pass away from bleeding inside the brain and around the heart. This is quite uncommon, though.

Side Effects of Vitamin C Deficiency

Early signs of vitamin C deficiency that go untreated can include some of the following ongoing medical conditions:

• Bleeding from the gums and nose
• Bruising or bleeding between joints subperiosteally
• Missing teeth
• Incorrect and sluggish wound healing
• Frail bones

Fever, nerve issues, breathlessness, and convulsions are among the more severe, long-lasting symptoms of vitamin C deficiency. The same people may not be able to recognize these as the outcome of a particular vitamin shortage. However, severe illnesses can result from vitamin C deficiency.

Diseases Caused Due to Vitamin C Deficiency

Scurvy is brought on by a vitamin C deficiency. The following signs and symptoms are those of scurvy:

• Gum disease or gingivitis
• Missing teeth
• Skin conditions
• Anemia
• Lack of immunity
• Breathing difficulty
• Twisted hairs

Along with the aforementioned vitamin C deficiency symptoms, these symptoms also appear.

Long-term deficiency in vitamin C results in scurvy, which can be fatal and can induce the following conditions:

• Severe cyanosis
• Neuropathy
• RBC hemolysis or destruction
• Widespread edema

Scurvy in pregnant women may have an impact on the development of the fetus’s brain because of the higher chance of acquiring this deficiency brought on by the body’s elevated nutrient requirements.

You must make sure that all necessary safeguards are taken, including a balanced diet, to avoid the negative outcomes of this nutritional deficit.

Foods Rich in Vitamin C

Many foods provide high levels of vitamin C, including:

• Citrus fruits
• Berries
• Watermelon
• Cantaloupe melon
• Kiwi berries
• Vegetables
• Fortified foods (Cereals)
• Fresh milk
• Salmon
• Organ meats (liver and kidney)

Fruits and vegetables are the main sources of vitamin C in the human diet. But they lose around a third of their vitamin C value when they are cooked. It is advised to eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day because the body cannot store much vitamin C.

Although vitamin C supplements are not hazardous, taking more than 2,000 mg daily may result in nausea, diarrhea, and cramping in the abdomen and raise the chance of developing oxalate kidney stones in men.

What Happens If I Have Too Much Vitamin C?

Even if you consume a lot of foods high in vitamin C, your body will only absorb the amount it requires since vitamin C is water-soluble (dissolves in water). Any excess vitamin C that you eat through food or beverages will naturally pass.

Taking large doses of vitamin C supplements is usually the only way to get too much of it, which can lead to nausea, cramping in the stomach, headaches, exhaustion, kidney stones, and diarrhea. If you have diabetes, you should take extra caution to avoid taking too many vitamin C pills because doing so could affect your ability to perform medical tests.

What is the Treatment For Vitamin C Deficiency?

Replace the vitamin C that is missing from your diet to cure a vitamin C deficiency. This can be accomplished by consuming a vitamin C-rich diet and vitamin C supplements. A dietitian may be suggested to you for assistance. Vitamin C supplements can typically be stopped after some time. After the pills are removed, it’s crucial to maintain a diet high in vitamin C. You can prevent vitamin C deficiency once more by doing this.

How Long Does it Take to Fix Vitamin C Deficiency?

Patients with vitamin C deficiencies often see a noticeable improvement in their health after beginning to supplement the mineral.

Here is a summary of the symptoms and how long they are likely to last if you are wondering how long it will take to treat a vitamin C deficit.

• 24 hours: Anorexia, anguish, tiredness, cognitive fog, and lethargy.
• 1-2 weeks: Severe weakness, bleeding, and bruises.
• Three months: Full healing.

Please take note that this timeframe may change from person to person depending on the severity of the deficit and other medical issues. Permanent harm, on the other hand, is irreversible and includes significant dental distortion or tooth loss. To avoid vitamin C insufficiency before it is too late, you should prioritize taking good care of your health.

What is the Outlook (Prognosis) of Vitamin C Deficiency?

The majority of people who are vitamin C deficient recover completely. Once vitamin C replacement therapy is started, symptoms typically start to get better within a few days or weeks.

Conclusion

Though relatively uncommon in affluent nations, vitamin C deficiency still affects more than one in twenty persons. Vitamin C must be routinely eaten to prevent deficiency because humans cannot produce it or store large amounts of it, ideally through fresh fruits and vegetables. There are numerous indicators and symptoms of deficiency, the majority of which are linked to deficiencies in collagen synthesis or inadequate antioxidant intake.

Fatigue, red gums, easy bruising and bleeding, joint pain, and rough, bumpy skin are some of the first symptoms of deficiency. Bones may become brittle, nail and hair abnormalities may appear, wounds may not heal as quickly, and the immune system may suffer as the shortage worsens.