Vitamin C Deficiency: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Nutrients, including vitamin C, aid in the normal functioning of the human body. Too little or excessive consumption of any nutrient can lead to significant discomfort and health issues.

In this piece, we will be discussing the same for vitamin C deficiency.  Know about the tell-tale symptoms, causes, and ways to achieve a speedy recovery.

Let’s begin!

The lack of vitamin C in the human body due to improper diet leads to vitamin C deficiency. In the long run, this deficiency can prevent and ultimately stop the formation of new collagen. As a result, different body tissues can begin to disintegrate, impacting the body’s healing mechanism and, hence, overall health.

 A vitamin B deficit diet, if continued for a period of 3 months or more, can result in severe health conditions involving bleeding lips and gums. Detecting early signs of these diseases can help prevent their adverse effects.

Some of the earliest vitamin C deficiency symptoms include the following:

• Pain in joints and muscle
• Small red-blue bruise-like spots on your skin
• Fatigue and weakness
• Easy formation of bruises

While these might not be tell-tale low vitamin C symptoms, there are some prominent and advanced ones.

• Weight loss
• Dry and damaged skin
• Split ends of hair
• Discolouration and swelling in gums
• Inefficient prevention of infections

If left untreated, these symptoms can lead to fatal conditions of bleeding around the heart and brain haemorrhage.

You can always prevent such eventualities with a detailed knowledge of what causes vitamin C deficiency and address them beforehand.

As already mentioned, the primary cause of vitamin C deficiency is an imbalanced diet. This is because the human body does not naturally synthesise vitamin C, and it has to be supplied via external sources. This primarily concerns food intake, including vegetables, fruits, and fortified foods. 

This is why most causes of deficiency of vitamin C involve an improper diet. Some of these are as follows:

• A diet lacking vitamin C-rich fresh vegetables and fruits
• A restrictive diet due to health conditions like weak digestive system, allergies, etc.
• Mental health issues and other disorders like anorexia
• Old age

Besides, there can be a number of other causes for lack of vitamin C. These include treatments, health conditions, and habits that limit the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Some of them are as follows:

• Ulcerative colitis
• Intake of illegal drugs and high amounts of alcohol
• Chemotherapy
• Crohn’s disease
• Smoking
• Hyperthyroidism
• Pregnancy
• Prolonged diarrhoea
• Surgery 

These factors can lead to a long-term condition of vitamin C deficiency, which might lead to detrimental side effects.

Unchecked early symptoms of lack of vitamin C can include some of the following persistent health issues: 

• Bleeding from nose and gums
• Subperiosteal haemorrhage or bleeding between joints
• Loose teeth
• Improper and delayed wound healing
• Weak bones

Other severe persistent symptoms due to lack of vitamin C include fever, nerve problems, shortness of breath, and convulsions.

Individuals suffering from the same might not be able to identify these as a result of a specific nutrient deficiency. However, a lack of vitamin C can lead to severe diseases.

The deficiency of vitamin C causes scurvy. Scurvy is characterised by the following symptoms:

• Gingivitis or gum disease
• Loss of teeth
• Skin problems
• Anaemia
• Weak immunity
• Shortness of breath
• Corkscrew hairs

These signs occur along with the previously mentioned vitamin C deficiency symptoms.

In the long run, lack of vitamin C causes untreated scurvy, which can be life-threatening and may lead to the following conditions:

• Severe jaundice
• Neuropathy
• Haemolysis or destruction of RBCs
• Generalised oedema

Since pregnant women are at increased risk of developing this deficiency due to the body’s high nutrient requirement, scurvy in them may affect foetal brain development.

To prevent the adverse eventualities of this nutrient deficiency, you must ensure all necessary precautions are followed, including a balanced diet.

The best way to prevent vitamin C deficiency is to ensure a diet rich in vitamin C. Some of the most prominent food sources of this nutrient are as follows:

Fruits

• Kiwi fruit
• Lemons
• Strawberries
• Papaya
• Blackberries
• Guava
• Oranges

Vegetables

• Carrots
• Spinach
• Bell Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Potatoes

Other eatables

• Oysters
• Paprika

Note that vitamin C can disintegrate under the effect of heat during storage. This is why it is advisable to consume raw and fresh fruits and vegetables as much as possible.

On the other hand, if you have already been diagnosed with a vitamin C deficiency, you will need to consult a dietician who might suggest the following treatment methods:

• Oral vitamin C supplements
• Vitamin C injections

The healthcare professional will recommend the ideal dosage, depending on your deficiency level. He/she will also prescribe a diet chart to speed up the recovery process.

Vitamin C deficit patients can observe significant improvement in their health condition after starting to replenish the nutrient.

However, if you are wondering exactly how long it will take to fix vitamin C deficiency, here is a list of the symptoms and the probable time they might take to disappear.

• 24 hours: Pain, brain fog, fatigue, anorexia, and lethargy.
• 1-2 weeks: Severe weakness, bleeding, and bruising.
• 3 months: Complete recovery.

Note that this timeline may vary across individuals, depending on the extent of deficiency and other health conditions.

However, permanent damages like severe tooth deformation or loss of teeth are irreversible. This is why you should prioritise taking good care of your health to prevent vitamin C deficiency before it is too late.