Nutrition Diet: What Deficiency Causes Scurvy and Rickets?

October 24, 2025 •

3 min read

Historically, scurvy was a disease that decimated naval crews during long voyages, killing an estimated two million sailors between 1500 and 1800. Today, we have a clearer understanding of what deficiency causes scurvy and rickets, clarifying how proper nutrition prevents these severe conditions.

Quick Summary

Scurvy is caused by a severe deficiency of vitamin C, leading to symptoms like bleeding gums and poor wound healing due to impaired collagen synthesis. Rickets is the result of insufficient vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate, causing weakened bones and skeletal deformities in children. Proper diet and supplementation prevent both conditions.

Key Points

Scurvy Cause: A severe deficiency of vitamin C causes scurvy by impairing the body’s ability to produce collagen, which is essential for connective tissues.
Rickets Cause: Rickets is caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate, which are necessary for the proper mineralization of bones in children.
Distinct Symptoms: Scurvy manifests with bleeding gums, easy bruising, and poor wound healing, while rickets causes skeletal deformities like bowed legs and bone pain.
Preventative Diet for Scurvy: Prevent scurvy by consuming vitamin C-rich foods such as citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, and broccoli.
Preventative Measures for Rickets: Prevent rickets through adequate sun exposure, intake of fortified foods like milk and cereals, and eating fatty fish rich in vitamin D.
Treatment Approach: Treatment for both conditions involves targeted nutrient supplementation, often with higher doses initially, followed by a balanced diet to prevent recurrence.

Understanding Scurvy: The Impact of a Vitamin C Deficiency

Scurvy arises from a significant and prolonged lack of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. Since the human body cannot produce vitamin C, it must be obtained through food. Without enough vitamin C, the body fails to make collagen, a key protein needed for building connective tissues, blood vessels, and skin. This deficiency results in the recognizable signs of scurvy, which typically appear after months of low intake.

Symptoms and Risk Factors of Scurvy

Early symptoms of scurvy can be non-specific, including tiredness, weakness, and discomfort in joints or muscles. If not addressed, more severe symptoms emerge, such as:

Bleeding and swollen gums.
Dental issues, including loose teeth.
Easy bruising and bleeding under the skin.
Dry, rough skin with poor healing.
Hairs growing in a coiled shape.
Anemia due to reduced iron absorption.

Those at higher risk for scurvy include individuals with poor diets, alcoholism, restrictive eating due to various reasons, and older adults. Smokers also need more vitamin C.

Demystifying Rickets: Caused by Insufficient Vitamin D

Rickets is a condition primarily affecting children, causing bones to soften and weaken due to a significant lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D is vital for absorbing calcium and phosphorus from food. Low levels of vitamin D can lead to insufficient calcium and phosphorus in the blood, causing the body to draw minerals from bones, thus weakening them. While vitamin D deficiency is the main culprit, low calcium and phosphate intake can also contribute.

Symptoms and Risk Factors of Rickets

The signs of rickets mainly affect the skeletal system and include:

Bone deformities like bowed legs and a protruding chest.
Pain and tenderness in bones.
Slowed growth and shorter stature.
Muscle weakness and cramps.
Delayed tooth development.

Factors increasing the risk of rickets include living in regions with less sunlight, having darker skin, and following restrictive diets. Infants who are exclusively breastfed or born to mothers with low vitamin D are also vulnerable.

Scurvy vs. Rickets: A Comparative Overview

Though both are nutritional deficiency diseases, scurvy and rickets result from different vitamin deficiencies and impact the body differently.


Feature	Scurvy	Rickets
Primary Deficiency	Vitamin C	Vitamin D, Calcium, or Phosphate
Affected Bodily System	Connective tissues	Skeletal system
Key Symptoms	Bleeding gums, corkscrew hairs	Bowed legs, bone pain
Effect on Bones	Fragile due to poor collagen	Softened and weakened due to inadequate mineralization
Primary Age Group	Any age	Primarily children

Dietary Strategies for Prevention and Treatment

Preventing both scurvy and rickets involves a balanced diet rich in essential vitamins. For existing deficiencies, supplements are often used under medical guidance.

To prevent scurvy, consume foods high in vitamin C:

Fruits like oranges, strawberries, and kiwis.
Vegetables such as peppers, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.

To prevent rickets, ensure sufficient vitamin D and calcium intake:

Moderate sunlight exposure aids vitamin D production.
Foods like fatty fish, cod liver oil, and egg yolks contain natural vitamin D.
Fortified foods like milk and cereals are good sources of vitamin D.
Include calcium sources like dairy and leafy greens.

For significant deficiencies, short-term high-dose supplements may be needed. While the body eliminates excess vitamin C, consistent daily intake is crucial to avoid recurrence.

Conclusion

Scurvy and rickets highlight the critical role of specific nutrients in health. Scurvy, from vitamin C deficiency, affects connective tissues and collagen production, while rickets, linked to vitamin D and mineral deficiency, impairs bone mineralization in children. Despite being largely preventable, these conditions persist due to poor diet, lifestyle, and insufficient sunlight. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fortified foods, and moderate sun exposure is key to preventing these avoidable diseases and promoting health.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary difference is the vitamin involved. Scurvy is caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, whereas rickets is most commonly caused by a deficiency of vitamin D.

Yes, the adult form of rickets is called osteomalacia. It also results from a severe vitamin D deficiency and leads to softened, weakened bones that are more prone to fracture, though skeletal deformities like bowed legs are not typical.

Scurvy symptoms can begin to manifest after a few months (typically 1 to 3 months) of severely low vitamin C intake. Early symptoms are often non-specific, like fatigue and irritability.

Excellent food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits (oranges, lemons), bell peppers, strawberries, kiwis, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

The body can produce vitamin D when the skin is exposed to direct sunlight. Moderate sun exposure, especially during midday, can significantly increase vitamin D levels.

For most people, a combination of fortified foods (like milk and cereals), some natural dietary sources, and moderate sun exposure is sufficient to prevent rickets. However, at-risk groups may need supplements, especially during winter.

Yes, it is possible for both scurvy and rickets to occur in the same individual, especially in cases of severe malnutrition. In co-occurrence, the symptoms of scurvy may sometimes appear to dominate over those of rickets.