Vitamin C Deficiency: How To Recognize It
Getting the appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals in our diets is extremely important for good overall health. Our bodies need these nutrients to function properly and to stay healthy. Each nutrient plays a part in our nutritional health, and becoming deficient in any one of them can be severely detrimental to our well-being. Vitamin C plays a vital role in the growth and repair of body tissues, as well as providing a boost to our immune system and a variety of other functions. But what happens if we are suffering from a vitamin C deficiency?
Symptoms
Vitamin C deficiency takes a large toll on the body, not the least of which is an increase in infections and illnesses. In fact, one of the most well-known advantages of vitamin C is that it boosts our immune system, helping us ward off infection. When suffering from a deficiency, our bodies lose some of that ability to keep infection at bay.
Because vitamin C is so important for the repair of tissues all over the body, a lack of vitamin C has repercussions in terms of the body's ability to heal itself. Wounds take longer to heal, as the body has much less to work with to form scabs and begin regenerating tissues.
Bleeding gums and gingivitis, along with dry, splitting hair are also symptoms of vitamin C deficiency. Rough, dry, scaly skin, nosebleeds and easy bruising are also signs that you may not be getting enough of the vitamin in your diet. It also lowers the body's metabolism, which can result in weight gain.
Vitamin C is important in the maintenance of cartilage and bone as well, and a deficiency may lead to swelling and severe pain in the joints. It can also lead to anemia, which is a shortage of red blood cells, resulting in a reduction in the amount of oxygen getting to the body's tissues.
Scurvy
The most severe form of vitamin C deficiency is known as "scurvy". Scurvy was once common among sailors and those who spent long periods of time out to sea. Though it is uncommon today, left untreated, scurvy can be deadly.
The symptoms of scurvy are easy to spot, though they can be grotesque. Initial symptoms range from dark, purplish liver spots on the skin to a marked pallor. The gums become spongy, which leads to tooth loss, and the bleeding of mucous membranes is common. In the advanced stages of scurvy, open sores form on the skin.
Prevention
Both the prevention and treatment of vitamin C deficiency are simple - consume more foods rich in vitamin C, or take a supplement. Including foods in your diet such as citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, sweet and white potatoes and green peppers will provide a good source of the nutrient, as they all contain high amounts of vitamin C.
