Vitamin C is a vitamin that is found in various foods and is sold as a dietary supplement.
It is very important for the human body and acute vitamin C deficiency leads to scurvy.
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Until the end of the eighteenth century, many sailors who made long voyages by sea had little or no intake of vitamin C and were known to contract scurvy, though now it is also possible.
These days, however, scurvy is rarer, but there are a number of foods you should eat as part of your diet to make sure you don’t lack vitamin C.
Due to its role as antioxidant and its role in the function immunologicalVitamin C has also been suggested as a means to help prevent and treat a number of health conditions.
The NHS says that scurvy is caused by not having enough vitamin C in your diet for at least three months.
Fortunately, the health body says that even people who don’t eat very healthily all the time are generally not considered at risk of scurvy.
However, there are several factors that can put you at higher risk. These include not having fresh fruits or vegetables in your diet for a whileto have anorexy or have one long-term dependence on drugs or alcohol that affects your diet.
The NHS also warns that smokers may be at greater risk, because smoking reduces the amount of vitamin C your body gets from food.
Exposure to secondhand smoke can also lower vitamin C levels.
If you are pregnant or nursing, your body needs more vitamin C at this time.
There are a number of scurvy symptoms to watch out for, some of which they will appear on the skin and around the mouth.
The NHS says that have swollen and bleeding gums can be a sign of vitamin C deficiency and warns that sometimes teeth can fall out.
Also, you need to be aware of changes in your skin. If you develop red or blue spots on the skinusually on the pimples, or have skin that bruises easily, these may be symptoms of scurvy.
The NHS also lists various other signs. He says that she should see a GP if she is at risk of scurvy and feels very tired and weak all the time or feel irritable and sad all the time.
Lloyds Pharmacy says that symptoms of vitamin C deficiency also include weakness and moodiness, and «it’s important to talk to a doctor if you experience these types of symptoms.»
Finally, if you have severe joint or leg painconsult a doctor for advice.
The scurvy is easily treated by adding a little vitamin C to your diet, such as fresh fruits and vegetablesor taking vitamin C supplements.
Fruits, particularly citrus, fruit juices, and many vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin C. Some breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin C.
«Most people treated for scurvy feel better within 48 hours and make a full recovery within two weeks,» notes the NHS.
Vitamin C supplements have the potential to interact with other medications, so you may need to discuss your vitamin C intake with your GP.
According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin C has low toxicity and is not believed to cause serious adverse effects at high intakes.
“The most common complaints are diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, and other gastrointestinal disturbances due to the osmotic effect of unabsorbed vitamin C in the gastrointestinal tract,” he says.
It adds that overt deficiency symptoms occur only if vitamin C intake falls below about 10 mg per day for many weeks.