Arr ye land-lubbers! It be a fine day to talk like a pirate. In the spirit of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, here be a quick grog-blog on scurvy.
When pirates sailed the seven seas, they lacked fruits and vegetables in their diet and sometimes got a condition called scurvy. Scurvy causes muscle weakness, swollen and bleeding gums, loss of teeth, and bleeding under the skin, as well as tiredness and depression. Wounds also do not heal easily when someone has scurvy.(1) They learned the cause of scurvy early on and to combat it, they brought limes on their sea voyages. Pirates earned the nickname “limeys.”
Do people still get scurvy? It’s rare, especially in developed countries, but those who don’t get enough Vitamin C, smoke, or drink excessive alcohol can get it. Others at risk of Vitamin C deficiency include those with:
AIDS
Burns
Cancer
Diarrhea (prolonged)
Fever (prolonged)
Infection (prolonged)
Intestinal diseases
Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
Stomach ulcer
Stress (continuing)
Surgical removal of stomach
Tuberculosis
Infants receiving unfortified formulas
Patients using an artificial kidney (on hemodialysis)
Patients who undergo surgery
Individuals who are exposed to long periods of cold temperatures (1)
To prevent Vitamin C deficiency and scurvy, eat plenty of citrus fruits and vegetables. Great sources of the vitamin include:
oranges
strawberries
red peppers
grapefruit
lemons
tomatoes
broccoli
cabbage
limes
To treat Vitamin C deficiency, talk to your dietitian or physician. Vitamin C will likely be prescribed either through the diet, a supplement, or intravenously. The RDA is 60 mg/day which should come from the diet if possible. (2)
It’s important not to self-prescribe Vitamin C or any other supplements though! While Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and excess generally gets eliminated in waste, there is the potential to do harm such as rebound scurvy. (2) There is some research that shows with over-supplementation, our bodies lose the ability to absorb sufficient Vitamin C and we put ourselves at risk of conditions that mimic Vitamin C deficiency.
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, and while predicted to help prevent cancer, with over-supplementation Vitamin C may actually become a pro-oxidant and lead to free radicals in the body. So always talk to you healthcare provider first!
Arr!
(1) Mayo Clinic. (2018). Ascorbic acid (oral route). MayoClinic.org. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ascorbic-acid-oral-route/description/drg-20068031
(2) Dutta T. (2016). Antioxidants and its effects. Journal of Evolution of Research in Human Physiology, 2(2): 10-14.
(3) WIlson, M.K., Baguley, B.C., Wall, C., Jameson, M.B., & FIndlay, M.P. (2014). Review of high-dose intravenous vitamin C as an anticancer agent. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, 10(1): 22-37. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajco.12173