Vitamin C deficiency – causes, symptoms & therapy

Physicians understand a vitamin C deficiency as an undersupply of the organism with the substance known as ascorbic acid, which represents a more or less severe vitamin C deficiency if it is absent for a longer period of time. Vitamin C is soluble in water and cannot be produced by the organism itself.

For this reason, it is important to eliminate an ascorbic acid or vitamin C deficiency through an external supply. There are two forms of vitamin C deficiency. On the one hand, this is an insufficient supply, which occurs as hypo (under) -vitaminosis and on the other hand as avitaminosis.

causes

Vitamin C deficiency can have many causes. If the hypovitaminosis manifests itself as a vitamin C deficiency, the reasons for this can be an existing pregnancy or a metabolic disorder . Transitional periods of development such as puberty are often the triggers for hypovitaminosis or avitamosis .Furthermore, a vitamin C deficiency can be caused by extremely high, persistent stress or inadequate nutrition . This fact affects diseases that are referred to as bulimia or starvation states.

A vitamin C deficiency can also be triggered by an unbalanced diet and long-term unbalanced diets that do not contain vitamin C-containing active ingredients and which mainly lack fruit and vegetables.

symptoms and course

Typical symptoms:

• Headache

• exhaustion

• fatigue

• difficulty concentrating

• Cardiovascular problems

The symptoms of a vitamin C deficiency are rather unspecific and do not always immediately indicate this limitation. The majority of people affected by a vitamin C deficiency report headaches and fatigue, persistent exhaustion, impaired concentration and circulatory disorders.

Furthermore, a general malaise and a permanent feeling of illness are also approximate signs that a vitamin C deficiency may be present. Quite often patients report that the condition of their skin and nails, gums and teeth is deteriorating.

In vitamin C deficiency, these symptoms are compounded by fatigue, an increased susceptibility to infections in connection with a weak immune system and poor healing of existing wounds.

Diagnose

When diagnosing vitamin C deficiency, a specialist must be consulted. First of all, after a personal interview, the complaints are presented by the patients. Special physical, mental and emotional changes are recorded. During the conversation for the diagnosis of vitamin C deficiency, questions about eating habits, upcoming therapies and concomitant diseases, pregnancy or abuse of alcohol , drugs or nicotine are discussed.

If there is already a justified suspicion that there is a vitamin C deficiency, additional laboratory tests are scheduled. These mainly affect the blood. A vitamin C deficiency can be further clarified by determining the vitamin C in the blood and the number of leukocytes .

treatment and therapy

If the assumption that a vitamin C deficiency is present is confirmed, adequate and timely treatment is initiated. If the therapy begins with a vitamin C deficiency, the disease scurvy can be prevented and those affected are spared the consequences.

The aim of the treatment is to achieve two effects. First, the vitamin C deficiency is eliminated. After that, the elimination of the trigger is envisaged. In this context, the physicians mainly focus on the so-called underlying diseases. In order to compensate for a vitamin C deficiency, it makes sense to provide this undersupply by administering medicines containing vitamin C in the form of drops or tablets.

In addition to the usual dosage forms, infusions or concentrates injected directly into the bloodstream are also available to physicians against vitamin C deficiency. The choice of measure depends on the extent of the vitamin C deficiency diagnosed. Doctors have other options available to supplement this therapy for vitamin C deficiency. These are based on a change in the components of the diet and on the therapy of a disease of the intestine.

These therapeutic steps against a vitamin C deficiency are primarily effective in the case of a slight undersupply. If an avitaminosis as a vitamin C deficiency is recognized too late, the vitamin C deficiency can lead to permanent disorders in children during growth and development.

prevention

The prophylaxis against a vitamin C deficiency is that the sufficient supply must be guaranteed through food. In the case of stress and extreme physical activity, the food should be particularly rich in vitamin C. Dietary supplements are also useful .Regular exposure to the sun improves the absorption of vitamin C and prevents vitamin C deficiency. Children and adolescents who are still developing and growing should be made fit with a balanced diet against a vitamin C deficiency.

Lots of fruit and vegetables, preferably raw and daily, are rich in vitamin C. Daily intake of vitamin C to combat vitamin C deficiency is important because this substance is not stored.