Vitamin C deficiency

Carola Felchner is a freelance writer in the medical department and a certified training and nutrition advisor. She worked for various specialist magazines and online portals before becoming a freelance journalist in 2015. Before starting her internship, she studied translation and interpreting in Kempten and Munich.

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A vitamin C deficiency is not known in healthy people who have a balanced diet. Such a deficit now practically only occurs in a few developing countries. From the 16th to the 19th century, vitamin C deficiency was particularly widespread among seafarers - in the form of the disease scurvy. Find out more about the causes and consequences of vitamin C deficiency here.

Vitamin C Deficiency: Causes

Vitamin C deficiency is very rare in Germany and other industrialized countries. The daily amount recommended by the German Nutrition Society (DGE) of 95 milligrams for women and 110 milligrams for men can be easily achieved with a balanced, varied diet. Just two kiwi or the juice of two oranges cover the daily requirement.

In the case of malnutrition or malnutrition (e.g. no fresh fruit and vegetables), however, a deficiency in vitamin C develops. However, other factors such as smoking, pregnancy and breastfeeding also have an influence on the vitamin C status. In these cases, the vitamin C requirement is increased. Taking certain medications can also increase vitamin C requirements. This applies, for example, to the contraceptive pill, preparations with the pain reliever acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and the so-called sulfonamides (used as antibiotics or diabetes drugs).

Diabetics and the elderly are also among those people who should pay particular attention to an adequate vitamin C intake so as not to risk a deficiency.

Vitamin C Deficiency: Symptoms

A severe vitamin C deficiency results in the "seafarer's disease" scurvy. The name comes from the fact that seafarers in particular got sick with it in the past: On week-long sea voyages there was hardly any opportunity to consume fresh fruit and vegetables - the result was a serious vitamin C deficiency.

Scurvy initially manifests itself in relatively unspecific symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, muscle pain and immune deficiency. Typical symptoms of advanced vitamin C deficiency are:

Bleeding
Inflamed and bleeding gums (as a result, often tooth loosening and tooth loss)
delayed wound healing
Water retention in the tissue (edema)
Joint pain
decreased ability to produce collagen

The latter can easily lead to bleeding in the skin, mucous membranes, internal organs and muscles (especially the thigh muscles).In very severe cases of scurvy, bleeding may occur in the conjunctiva and retina of the eye, as well as in the brain. In addition, the disease can cause bone and joint changes.

Bleeding caused by a vitamin C deficiency differs from other causes of bleeding by the following characteristics:

at the same time both extensive and punctiform bleeding
punctiform bleeding at the roots of the hair

These symptoms are a very clear indication of severe vitamin C deficiency. The suspicion is confirmed by a determination of the vitamin C status (blood test).

If scurvy occurs in infants, it is called Moeller-Barlow disease. In addition to the other symptoms, disorders of bone formation and growth also occur here.

Vitamin C Deficiency: Effects in Pregnancy

According to the German Nutrition Society, the recommended daily amount of vitamin C during pregnancy is around 105 milligrams, which is slightly higher than for non-pregnant women (95 milligrams / day). Expectant mothers should take this into account when choosing food - not just to avoid a vitamin C deficiency and its consequences. A sufficient supply of vitamin C also promotes the absorption of iron - a trace element of which pregnant women often have too little.

The daily vitamin C requirement is even greater in breastfeeding women than in pregnant women (125 milligrams). If your diet is insufficient to prevent vitamin C deficiency, your doctor may recommend taking a vitamin supplement. This also applies to pregnant women.

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