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Understanding Scurvy and Vitamin C Deficiency

Scurvy is a medical condition caused by vitamin C deficiency that results in fatigue, anemia, muscle pain, and delayed wound healing. Symptoms were first recorded in Egyptian medical scrolls 3500 years ago. In the 1700s, the British navy discovered that scurvy could be cured by eating oranges and lemons rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C plays an essential role in collagen synthesis and is important for blood vessels, tissues, bones, and brain function. A vitamin C deficiency can cause complications affecting the skin, oral cavity, muscles, heart and lungs. Treatment involves consuming foods rich in vitamin C like citrus fruits, and following daily recommended intake amounts depending on age.

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124 views4 pages

Understanding Scurvy and Vitamin C Deficiency

Scurvy is a medical condition caused by vitamin C deficiency that results in fatigue, anemia, muscle pain, and delayed wound healing. Symptoms were first recorded in Egyptian medical scrolls 3500 years ago. In the 1700s, the British navy discovered that scurvy could be cured by eating oranges and lemons rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C plays an essential role in collagen synthesis and is important for blood vessels, tissues, bones, and brain function. A vitamin C deficiency can cause complications affecting the skin, oral cavity, muscles, heart and lungs. Treatment involves consuming foods rich in vitamin C like citrus fruits, and following daily recommended intake amounts depending on age.

Uploaded by

lobna Hijli
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Scurvy .

Lobna Hani Hijli .

11744366 .

Dr. Marah Shakhshir .


Nutrition .

Introduction .

Scurvy is a medical condition that caused by deficiency of vitamin C ,


and it may causes fatigue , anemia , muscle pain , delayed at wound
healing , tooth loss , bleeding gum , weakness on connective tissue &
joint function , and another symptoms & complications in delayed
stages .
The first appear of this disease was at the Egyptian medical scrolls
-3500 years ago , they discovered and recorded its symptoms .
In the last period of 1700 the British navy was aware that scurvy could
be cured by eating orange and lemon .

What is the scurvy ? and how it


effect in our body ?
As we know that the main reason of scurvy is the deficiency of vitamin
C . In modern Western societies, scurvy is rare among adults, while it
is common among the elderly and infants , especially the infants who
feed from unrefined milk bottled if not provided with adequate vitamins
that they need , almost All the baby food that sold has been added
vitamin C , but the heating and storage lead to breakdown vitamin C .
( Breast milk contains enough vitamin C if the mother takes this vitamin
in sufficient quantities ) .
Let's explain the function of vitamin C at our body and it deficiency
what do in our body.

Vitamin C :
Also known as ascorbic acid -comes from the Latin word "scorbutus"- ,
as we take and learn in nutrition course , it is a water soluble vitamin
and very important and essential to our body .
Unlike all mammals , human do not have the ability to synthesis their
own vitamin C , so we should obtain vitamin C through our diet .

Function :
 Its play an essential role at the
synthesis of collagen process .

4
Nutrition .
 It is an important structural compound at blood vessels ,
tissues , tendons , ligaments and bones .
 Improve the brain function , because they involved at the
synthesis process of neurotransmitter such as norepinephrine
that essential and the affect mood at the brain .
 It is very highly effective antioxidant , it protect the protein , fats ,
carbohydrate , nucleic acid from any damage by free radicals .
 It involved in regeneration process to other antioxidant such as
vitamin E .
 Vitamin C is required for synthesis small and essential
molecules that the mitochondria needed at the energy generate
process .

People at risk of scurvy :


 Who suffer from chronic malnutrition .
 Alcoholic .
 Smokers .
 Children .
 Elderly .
 Dialysis patient .
 Who suffer from severe dyspepsia .

Complication: skin & oral problems , and at severe degree


may happen musculoskeletal , heat and lung problems .

Treatment & prevention ;


 To prevent , we must follow this Instructions :
 For infants prefer to use breast milk .
 For infant (up to year) 40-50 mg/day of vitamin C .
 For infant (1-3 years) 15 mg/day -at range- of vitamin C .
 For children (4-8 years) 25 mg/day of vitamin C .
 For children (9-13 year) 45
 For children (14-18 years) , for boys 75 mg/day , and for
girls 56
 For adult , for men 90 mg/day , and for women 75 mg/day
of vitamin C .
 For pregnant women 85 mg/day of vitamin C , and During
the lactation period prefer 120 mg/day of vitamin C .

4
Nutrition .
 And according to many studies the perfect treatment and diet for
who suffer from scurvy is , the Mediterranean diet , In addition to
nutritional supplements .

Summery .

So as we see the deficiency of vitamin C effect at brain , muscles -


included the cardiac muscle - , may be lead to stroke , CVD , other
than scurvy , so we must take the required amount of ascorbic acid to
prevent our body from the scurvy and other disease may result from
the deficiency .

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