La vitamin C deficiency involves symptoms such as tiredness, fatigue, and increased predisposition to infections, and may depend, for example, on one unbalanced diet. Let's find out the causes, consequences and foods to supplement it.
> Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency
> The causes of the shortage
> Vitamin C deficiency and nutrition
Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin, essential for the body to synthesize collagen, a substance capable of fortifying bones, cartilage, muscles and blood vessels and promotes the absorption of iron.
La vitamin C deficiency involves symptoms such as tiredness, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle aches and increased susceptibility to infections. The first organs to be affected are bones, cartilage and connective tissue. Gum disease can also appear: the gums hurt and have bleeding, in some cases even ulcers, to the point of causing tooth loss.
Vitamin C deficiency is also linked to a particular condition called scurvy. It is a collagen formation defect that leads to the weakening of bones and cartilages, teeth and connective tissues, resulting in soreness and degeneration, in some cases even anemia and fever.
Other characteristic symptoms of vitamin C deficiency can be shortness of breath, indigestion, brittle or breaking hair, skin problems, weakened enamel, easy bruising.
The causes of vitamin C deficiency
One of the main causes of vitamin C deficiency can be deficiency of some foods as a result of unbalanced diets. A deficiency of vitamin C can also occur as a result of diseases such as ulcers or more or less serious inflammatory diseases, surgery, burns. Pregnancy and breastfeeding increase the need for vitamin C.
Symptoms such as diarrhea, excess heat or cold, increased urine output lead to a more substantial elimination or consumption of vitamin C. Smoke, stress, fever high they can reduce the body's ability to absorb vitamin C. Furthermore, excessive amounts of water impoverish its organic reserves. Oral contraceptives and aspirin often reduce its absorption. Cooking foods can also destroy the vitamin C contained in them.
Vitamin C deficiency and nutrition
Food sources of vitamin C are mainly fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits such as oranges. Other food sources, useful to make up for deficiencies, in addition to oranges and citrus fruits, are: berries, melon, watermelon, kiwis; peppers, asparagus, turnip greens, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes among the vegetables.
Vitamin C is a very labile vitamin, and is destroyed by cooking, storage, exposure to air and light, which is why it is essential to consume fresh food. The fresher and less cooked the foods are, the greater the amount of vitamin they contain.
Among the cooking methods to be preferred we mention the microwave oven, steam and rapid frying. Sweet peppers can be stored for about three weeks with minimal loss. Among the foods that contain it the most are the Kiwi: quantity of 500 mg of vitamin C is contained in 6 kiwis.
READ MORE
Natural vitamin C supplements: what they are and how to use them
More articles on Vitamin C deficiency
> 5 foods to cope with vitamin C deficiency
