Vitamin C Deficiency

Excerpt

Scurvy is a clinical syndrome resulting from vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C is essential for the growth and repair of skin, cartilage, bone, and teeth. In addition, it has significant antioxidant properties that protect cells from free radical damage. This article defines the sources, metabolism, and functions of vitamin C, covering the diagnosis, physical manifestations, evaluation, treatment, prognosis, and prevention of vitamin C deficiency.

History of Vitamin C Deficiency

Ancient Egyptian medical practitioners first documented the symptoms of this condition in 1550 bc in the Ebers Papyrus and prescribed the treatment with onions and vegetables. Hippocrates coined ileos emantis for the disease and described it as follows: "The mouth feels unpleasant; gums are separated from the teeth; blood flows from the nostrils… ulcerations appear on the legs; skin becomes thin." During the 1700s, James Lind, a British Royal Navy surgeon, made the significant discovery that the consumption of lemons and oranges alleviated the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency. Tales from the pirates and British sailors era have made scurvy infamous across several countries. Scurvy also led to notable morbidity during the European potato famine, polar expeditions, the United States Civil War, and the California gold rush. In the 1920s, Albert Szent-Györgyi, a Hungarian biochemist, discovered the molecular structure of vitamin C and named it ascorbic acid, meaning anti-scurvy.