Which symptoms are associated with vitamin C deficiency and scurvy?
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human nutrition
MyPlate, a revised set of dietary guidelines introduced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2011, divides the four basic food groups (fruits, grains, protein, and vegetables) into sections on a plate, the size of each section representing the relative dietary proportions of each food group. The small blue circle shown at the upper right illustrates the inclusion and recommended proportion of dairy products in the diet.
Vitamin C deficiency leads to scurvy, a disorder caused by the body's inability to synthesize collagen, which is essential for maintaining healthy tissues, bones, and blood vessels.12
Symptoms typically emerge after several months of deficiency as tissue stores of the vitamin are depleted. Common clinical manifestations include:1
- Early signs: Fatigue, as well as soreness and stiffness in the joints and lower extremities.12
- Oral health: Swollen, bleeding gums and the loosening of teeth.13
- Dermatological and systemic: Bleeding under the skin and into deep tissues, anemia, and slow wound healing.12
- Advanced stages: Changes in personality and, if left untreated, death resulting from severe bleeding or infection.1
In infants, the condition—sometimes called Barlow disease—additionally presents with pain and swelling in the lower extremities and lesions on growing bones.1