June 10, 2004 -- The ancient mariners had scurvy. And apparentl
June 10, 2004 -- The ancient mariners had scurvy. And apparently, plenty of Americans today have it, too. We're not getting enough vitamin C, the main preventative for scurvy or vitamin C deficiency, researchers say. Could low-carb eating be to blame?
The report appears in the current issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
It provides results from a large nationwide survey, showing that seniors and children get the most vitamin C in their diet. However, men and women aged 25 to 44 get the least -- and are most at risk for developing scurvy.
"A considerable number of U.S. residents are vitamin C deficient," writes researcher Carol Johnston, a professor of nutrition at Arizona State University.
Other studies have shown similar results, she writes. One U.S. study shows that 18% of adults get fewer than 30 milligrams daily of vitamin C. Another study shows that up to 20% of the 13- to 18-year-old group gets fewer than 30 milligrams daily.
Because scurvy is rarely suspected, people with the symptoms -- fatigue, limping, bleeding gums, or swollen extremities -- may not be tested for vitamin C deficiency, she explains. Very often, these patients are misdiagnosed and medicated for other disorders -- not for their vitamin deficiency.
The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C is 75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men. While some people get too much vitamin C in their diets, many others get too little, she says. The body excretes excess vitamin C in the urine.
With the low-carb craze, the vitamin C-rich potato -- once the centerpiece of a healthy diet -- has been pushed aside, notes Althea Zanecosky, MS, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and professor of sports and nutrition at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She agreed to comment on Johnston's study.
"Potatoes are a great source of vitamin C and other nutrients," Zanecosky tells WebMD. Other vitamin C-rich fruits are also taboo for some people adopting a low-carb diet.
