Concept in Definition ABC

The scurvy it is a disorder that causes skin lesions and bleeding gums. Is a disease related to vitamin C deficiency in the body.

Scurvy occurs in very specific populations

This disease is very rare today, in the past occurred as a consequence of the lack of access to food fresh such as fruits and vegetables in populations that did not have this type of food. This led to the fact that scurvy was known as the disease of sailors, who after spending several months at sea had a diet based on some protein preserved animals and food.

Currently the few cases that occur occur in very poor populations where there is malnutrition or in places of confinement under conditions of overcrowding like prisons.

Another condition that favors the appearance of scurvy is feeding of babies exclusively based on low-fat dairy formulas quality, which are not enriched with vitamin C. For this reason it is recommended that mothers who feed their children with formulas give their babies fruits and vegetable porridges or creams to provide other nutrients that are not contained in these formulas children.

Vitamin C is essential for the proper functioning of the body

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid is a necessary substance for the production of collagen. A protein found in all the supporting tissues of the body, as well as in the wall of blood vessels and in lining tissues such as the skin and mucous membranes.

The alteration in the quality of collagen leads to these tissues being weak, so they do not adequately fulfill their function. This manifests as ulcers on the skin and mucous membranes, weakness of the walls of the blood vessels that favor the appearance of hemorrhages and bruises, and even delay in the healing process of wounds.

Other tissues that have large amounts of collagen are muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones. For this reason, scurvy also causes joint pain and weakness. In advanced cases, death occurs due to failure of heartHere, the weakness of the heart muscle cannot increase its work to compensate for the failure of oxygenation of the tissues due to anemia.

Another important function of vitamin C in the body is to contribute to the absorption of iron from vegetables, so vitamin C deficiency is related to the presence of anemia.

Main sources of vitamin C

Vitamin C is found in a large number of fresh fruits and vegetables. The foods that contain the highest amounts of this vitamin are citrus fruits such as lemon and orange.

Other important sources are guavas, papaya, bell peppers, broccoli, turnips, potatoes, parsley, watercress, tomatoes, and spinach. Many other vegetables contain vitamin C although to a lesser extent.

Providing vitamin C supplements along with a balanced diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables is the way to treat and prevent the onset of scurvy.

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