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- What is scurvy?
- Symptoms of scurvy
- Causes of scurvy
- Prevention of scurvy
- Risk factors for scurvy
- Complications of scurvy
- When to see a doctor about scurvy
- Diagnosis of scurvy
- Conventional treatment of scurvy
- Alternative/complementary treatment of scurvy
- Living with scurvy
- Caring for someone with scurvy
Scurvy is a condition which develops when there is not enough intake of vitamin C (or ascorbic acid) in the diet for a long time, from severe vitamin C deficiency.
Vitamin C is necessary to maintain proper skin, bone and teeth tissue through the production of collagen the connective tissue that keeps all the tissues in place. It helps the body absorb iron better (especially non-haeme iron) and to help wounds heal properly.
Sea sailors who voyaged for months on the open seas were prone to developing scurvy, but at the time, they didn't know what caused the debilitating symptoms and finally the death that occurred.
Dr James Lind was the naval physician who first discovered and proved that eating citrus fruits cured scurvy in the late 1700's (the concept of vitamins was not yet known at that time, so it was not realised that it was the vitamin C in the citrus fruits that prevented scurvy).
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Facts about scurvy
- Scurvy is one of the oldest known vitamin deficiency disorders
- Untreated and severe scurvy can ultimately cause death
- Getting enough fruits and vegetables in the diet every day is enough to prevent scurvy
- Scurvy is due to a deficiency of vitamin C, an important antioxidant vitamins
- Over 200 years ago, sailors going on long journeys would often develop scurvy as they had no access to any fruit on these sea voyages
- Older people, especially those in nursing homes or who do not eat properly, are often prone to developing scurvy in Western countries today
- Scurvy may be more prevalent in Western countries than previously thought, especially in people of lower socioeconomic backgrounds and the homeless
- The body cannot make its own vitamin C so dietary intake is needed every day
- Many animals can make their own vitamin C in their body and do not need to get in their diet in the same levels as humans
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