Vitamin C Deficiency

What is Vitamin C deficiency?

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid and is found in citrus fruits like lemon, orange, etc. Depletion of vitamin c in the body causes a life-threatening disease called scurvy. Vitamin C is regarded as 1st line antioxidant i.e. it removes harmful oxides residues from the body. The population at risk of vitamin C deficiency are men who live alone, individuals at an advanced age, patients with psychiatric diseases, the homeless, and food faddists.

What are its main signs and symptoms?

• Weakness
• Muscle pain
• Joint pain
• Anaemia
• Swelling
• Shortness of breath
• Bleeding under skin
• Loss of teeth and mouth/tongue ulcers
• Swollen gums
• Inability of the wound to heal
• Irritation and anxiety in children

What are the main causes?

• Inadequate intake of vitamin C
• Fever
• Diarrhoea
• Smoking
• Hyperthyroidism
• Iron deficiency
• Cold/ Heat stress
• Surgery
• Burns
• Protein deficiency
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Old age

How is it diagnosed and treated?

• The physician will perform tests to look for skin intactness and bleeding in gums after taking a detailed medical history and family history.
• The physician might perform vitamin C level test to confirm scurvy along with complete blood count.
• Complete blood check-up to assess time taken to stop bleeding and to identify the status of haemoglobin in body.
• X-ray of large bones like thigh bone to diagnose childhood scurvy.
• Physician might also perform bone marrow biopsy to rule out other diseases.
• MRI is done only if X-ray provides insufficient data.

Treatment:

• Vitamin C replacement is the treatment of choice. Within 2 weeks of treatment, symptoms start resolving.
• Ascorbic acid containing juices: fresh juices of oranges and lemon helps in replacement of vitamin C in body. Foods rich in vitamin C like broccoli, green peppers, spinach, tomato, potato, cauliflower and cabbage helps in retaining lost vitamin C levels.
• Vitamin C chewable tablets are easily available in the markets and help in the effective treatment of scurvy (vitamin C deficiency).

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