What Are You Lacking If You Get Scurvy? Understanding Vitamin C Deficiency

January 7, 2026 •

2 min read

While scurvy is rare in developed countries today, affecting an estimated 7.1% of people with vitamin C deficiency in the US, it signals a severe lack of ascorbic acid, which is critical for many bodily functions. This nutritional disease, historically infamous among sailors, is caused by the body's inability to produce its own vitamin C.

Quick Summary

Scurvy is a disease caused by a significant deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), a nutrient vital for collagen synthesis, immune support, and tissue repair. It manifests with symptoms such as fatigue, bruising, and gum problems.

Key Points

Core Deficiency: Scurvy is caused by a severe, long-term deficiency of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid.
Collagen Synthesis: The primary reason for scurvy's symptoms is the disruption of collagen synthesis, which weakens connective tissues throughout the body.
Common Symptoms: Telltale signs include bleeding gums, easy bruising, perifollicular hemorrhages (red spots around hair follicles), and joint pain.
At-Risk Groups: Vulnerable populations include the elderly, people with alcoholism, individuals on very restrictive diets, and those with malabsorption disorders.
Prevention and Cure: Scurvy is both preventable and curable with increased intake of vitamin C, primarily through consuming fresh fruits and vegetables or taking supplements.
Rapid Recovery: With proper treatment, many of the debilitating symptoms of scurvy can start to improve within a day or two.

The Root Cause: A Severe Vitamin C Deficiency

If you get scurvy, you are lacking a severe amount of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. Humans cannot produce or store this essential nutrient, requiring consistent dietary intake. Scurvy develops after about three months of chronic vitamin C absence. Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis, the structural protein for connective tissues like skin, bones, cartilage, and blood vessels. Insufficient vitamin C impairs collagen production, leading to tissue breakdown and scurvy symptoms.

The Impact of Collagen Impairment

Disrupted collagen due to deficiency causes fragile blood vessels, leading to easy bruising and bleeding. It also weakens gums, causing swelling, bleeding, and potential tooth loss. Bone and cartilage issues can cause joint pain and weakness. Wound healing is impaired. Vitamin C also supports iron absorption and immune function, contributing to the range of symptoms.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Scurvy

Symptoms progress over time, starting subtly before developing into classic signs. Early signs can include fatigue, irritability, and joint or muscle pain. More advanced symptoms involve bleeding gums, easy bruising, small red or blue spots around hair follicles (perifollicular hemorrhage), and poor wound healing. Other signs can include dry, brittle, coiled hairs (corkscrew hairs), dental issues, anemia, and limb swelling.

Who Is Most at Risk?

While scurvy is uncommon where fresh produce is available, some groups are more vulnerable due to poor diet or malabsorption. These include the elderly, individuals with alcoholism or drug dependency, people with restrictive diets, infants not receiving adequate breast milk or formula, smokers, and those with malabsorption issues. Each group faces specific risk factors and common manifestations of the deficiency. For a comparison of specific risk factors and manifestations by population group, see {Link: Medscape Reference https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/125350-overview} or {Link: MSD Manuals https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/disorders-of-nutrition/vitamins/vitamin-c-deficiency}.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis involves assessing clinical symptoms, diet history, and potentially blood tests to confirm low vitamin C levels. Treatment focuses on replenishing vitamin C, typically through high-dose oral or intravenous supplements. Many symptoms improve rapidly within days. Preventing recurrence requires dietary changes to include foods rich in vitamin C.

Preventing Scurvy with a Vitamin C-Rich Diet

Preventing scurvy involves a diet high in fresh produce. Key sources include citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, berries such as strawberries, peppers, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kiwi, papaya, potatoes, and tomatoes. Since heat can degrade vitamin C, consuming some raw foods is helpful. Supplements can also be used, especially for those with limited diets or certain health conditions. Learn more about Vitamin C from the National Institutes of Health website.

Conclusion

Scurvy results from a severe, chronic vitamin C deficiency, compromising collagen production and leading to fatigue, bleeding gums, bruising, and joint pain. Though rare today, it's preventable and treatable with a diet rich in vitamin C or supplements. Recognizing risk factors and symptoms allows for prompt treatment and recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you get scurvy, you are lacking vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. This is because the human body cannot produce this vitamin and needs to acquire it through diet.

Symptoms of scurvy typically develop after a person has had a severely deficient vitamin C intake for at least three months. Early signs like fatigue can appear sooner.

Yes, scurvy is highly curable with vitamin C supplementation and improved diet. Many symptoms improve significantly within days of starting treatment, and a full recovery is expected with proper management.

Excellent food sources include citrus fruits (oranges, lemons), berries (strawberries), bell peppers, broccoli, kiwi, and tropical fruits like guava.

Smoking increases oxidative stress in the body, which depletes vitamin C more quickly. Smokers require additional vitamin C compared to non-smokers to maintain adequate levels.

In developed countries with widespread access to fresh fruits and vegetables, severe vitamin C deficiency resulting in scurvy is rare. However, cases can still occur in specific at-risk populations.

If left untreated, scurvy can lead to serious complications, including severe pain, neuropathy, jaundice, hemolysis, and even organ failure and death.

It is unlikely to develop scurvy if you consume some fruits and vegetables, as mild deficiency does not typically lead to the severe disease. However, a prolonged period of inadequate intake is the root cause.