A once-common ailment from the 15th century, scurvy, is making an unexpected comeback in the 21st century.
About Scurvy:
It is a disease caused by a significant lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid)in the diet.
Scurvy has been known since ancient Greek and Egyptian times.
Causes:
Humans cannot synthesize vitamin C. It needs to come from external food sources, especially fruits and vegetables or fortified foods.
Thus, scurvy is caused by not eating enough fresh fruits and vegetables.
Also, cooking destroys some of the vitamin C found in food.
Symptoms:
It can include anemia, exhaustion, spontaneous bleeding, limb pain, swelling, and sometimes ulceration of the gums and loss of teeth.
It can be fatal if left untreated.
Treatment: It is treatable with oral or intravenous vitamin C supplements.
Importance of Vitamin C:
It’s responsible for the development, growth, and healing of your skin, bones, and connective tissue.
In addition, you need vitamin C for your blood vessels to function properly.
Vitamin C helps maintain your teeth and gums.
It helps your body absorb iron, which it needs to make red blood cells.
Vitamin C also helps heal burns and other wounds.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it protects your cells against damage from free radicals.
Free radicals are byproducts of normal cell activity which participate in chemical reactions within cells. Some of these reactions can cause damage over your lifetime.
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