Symptoms and health effects of Vitamin C Deficiency

Most humans suffer from chronic subacute scurvy - Dr. Linus Pauling and his research partner Dr. Mattias Rath determined that CVD is a symptom of a chronic ascorbate deficiency.This author surmises that many other symptoms, including bleeding gums, random nosebleeds, slow healing wounds (E.g. indiabetics), hemorrhages in disease such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis , are also consequences of a low-grade C deficiency, enough to cause weakened connective tissue, but not full-blown scurvy.

People today are generally consuming enough vitamin C to prevent full-blown scurvy, but intake is not optimal to prevent a multitude of health problems:

What happens to the body with insufficient C?

•  Connective tissue degenerates - E.g. leads to atherosclerosis in CVD

•  Capillary walls weaken/hemorrhage

•  Poor wound healing

 •  Bone lesions develop

 •  Teeth loosen/fall out

 •  May increase gallstone formation

•  Liver function impaired

Signs of Vitamin C Deficency

•  Tendency to bruise easily

•  Visible broken capillaries

Symptoms of Low level Scurvy

 i.e. an ongoing C deficiency

•  Weakness /Lethargy/Fatigue

•  Irritability/Reduced capability to tolerate stress

•  Weight loss

•  Digestive disorders

•  Bleeding/painful gums

•  Gingivitis

•  Shortness of breath

•  Aching muscles/bones/ joints in arms and legs

•  Dry/rough skin (maybe pigmented)

People with a tendency for low tissue levels of vitamin C

• Smokers

Pelletier O., Vitamin C status of smokers and non-smokers. Am. J.Clin. Nutr.,1970, 23, 520-4

•  Elderly

Burr ML et al, Plasma and leucocyte ascorbic acid levels in the elderly. Am. J.Clin. Nutr., 1974, 27, 144-51

•  People under stressful conditions

•  Those with liver disease -worsened by toxic effects of treatment medications

•  High blood copper levels -depletes body's C; copper water pipes are a source of copper

•  Those with high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, stroke, some cancers,atherosclerosis and PAD

Langlois M et al, Serum vitamin C concentration is low in peripheral arterial disease and is associated with inflammation and severity of atherosclerosis. Circulation. 2001;103(14):1863-1868

Testing for vitamin C Presence in Tissues

The usual test is to measure C in blood plasma - which more accurately informs about C's presence in the recent diet, not in the body. A better indicator is the concentration of ascorbic acid (AA) in the white blood cells, which parallels tissue concentration. Scurvy is diagnosed when C concentration is 2 mg/L in the white blood platelet layer. An even better method is a saturation test. Without access to these tests, look for signs and symptoms of C deficiency.