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Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a micronutrient that has several essential functions in the body, participating in the formation of collagen, absorption of iron at the intestinal level, synthesis of norepinephrine and in the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids. In addition, it also has antioxidant action, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals and acting in the ways of regulating metabolism and formation of blood cells.
The main disease related to vitamin C deficiency is scurvy, whose symptoms manifest after 4 to 6 months of lack of the vitamin, leading to the appearance of some signs and symptoms such as bruises on the skin. Childhood scurvy is also known as Moeller-Barlow disease, and is also characterized by important bone deformities, impaired growth and cardiac changes.
Signs and symptoms of lack of vitamin C
Vitamin C deficiency can cause some signs and symptoms to appear, such as:
- Tiredness, pallor and dizziness, due to anemia caused by poor absorption of iron;
- Difficulty in wound healing due to collagen deficiency;
- Bleeding, mainly from the gums and nose, but that can appear anywhere in the body, due to the rupture of the tissues that support the blood vessels;
- Purplish spots on the body, also due to the fragility of blood vessels;
- Bone deformities and increased risk of fractures, especially in children, as it alters the process of calcification and bone formation;
- Hair loss and weakening of nails, cartilage and joints;
- Bone pain and swelling in the body;
- Falling and softening of teeth, as it alters the formation of dentin, which is the matrix of teeth;
- Increased risk of infections, such as colds and flu, as the lack of vitamin C impairs the formation of white blood cells and alters various functions of the immune system;
- Sadness, mental stress and reasoning difficulties, because the lack of this vitamin can produce brain chemical changes.
In addition, if the deficiency is not identified and treated, there may be other symptoms such as excessive tiredness and lethargy.
Causes of lack of vitamin C
Vitamin C is absorbed in the intestine and its main source is food, so the lack of this vitamin happens when the diet is insufficient or when absorption by the intestine is not adequate. Thus, some of the main risk factors are malnutrition, anorexia, smoking, alcoholism, intestinal diseases and inflammations, such as Crohn's disease, for example. In addition, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, there is an increased need for this vitamin.
Vitamin C deficiency can also occur in people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, chronic or acute inflammatory diseases, people in the post-operative bowel or who have severe burns.
Diarrhea can also increase the fecal losses of this vitamin, as well as achlorhydria, which is a condition in which gastric acid is not produced, decreasing the amount of vitamin that is absorbed.
How the treatment is done
Vitamin C is found mainly in fruits and vegetables, such as pineapple, acerola, orange, lemon and peppers, for example, and the presence of these foods in the diet is important to meet daily needs. Check out the full list of food sources of vitamin C.
The amount of vitamin C to be consumed daily is about 75 mg per day for women and 90 mg per day for men over 19 years old.
However, some people may need larger amounts, such as pregnant women, smokers and people using some drugs that can impair the absorption of this vitamin, such as contraceptives, antidepressants and diuretics. In the case of babies, children and adolescents, the amount is less, and it is recommended that the doctor or nutritionist be consulted to adjust the vitamin replacement in these cases.
As vitamin C can be gradually eliminated through urine, its consumption must be daily, and if the necessary amount is not reached with food, it is also possible to consume supplements with vitamin C, which should be advised by a nutritionist so that it is not done at fault or in excess.
See how to use vitamin C on a daily basis by watching the following video: