Scurvy, an old disease that is resurfacing
February 5, 2003 – A small study of American teenagers showed that some of them, whose diet did not include fruits or vegetables, contracted scurvy. This old seafaring disease, common in the XVe in the XVIIIe century, is associated with vitamin C deficiency. Its symptoms are characterized by anemia, bleeding gums, tooth loss and muscle degeneration.
Young men who participated in the study said they did not eat fruits or vegetables; their diet, rich in calories, consisting only of cheese, crackers, cookies, chocolate, water and soft drinks. Their blood tests showed no deficiency in vitamins or minerals, except for vitamin C.
According to study author Barbara Hermereck of Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Kansas1, this case shows that even healthy-looking people can have vitamin C deficiency leading to scurvy. Eating enough doesn’t mean you’re getting enough vitamin C, she says. Previous studies have shown that many Americans have low levels of vitamin C in their blood. However, their deficiency was not severe enough for them to suffer from scurvy.
Yet, according to Hermereck, it is very easy to correct the situation. It is enough to drink 125 to 250 ml of orange juice per day or to eat fruits and vegetables that contain it. It is also very important to take vitamin C supplements every day, she adds.
Symptoms of scurvy usually appear after a period of one to three months of low daily vitamin C intake, less than 5 mg per day. The recommended intake ranges from 75 to 90 mg daily.
Stéphane Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
According to Reuters Health, January 22, 2003.
1. Dr. Barbara Hermereck’s study was presented at a Science Forum held in San Antonio, Texas, January 18-22, 2003 as part of Nutrition Week.