Arizona State University Researchers Find Scurvy Is Serious Health Problem

[Guest guest]

Arizona State University Researchers Find Scurvy Is Serious Health

Problem

AScribe Newswire

02 Jul 2004

TEMPE, Ariz., June 3 (AScribe Newswire) -- Researchers at Arizona

State University have found that scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency

historically associated with pirates and pioneers, is once again a

serious problem that health care experts need to address in the

United States.

In an examination of vitamin C deficiency and depletion among U.S.

males and females, ASU researchers Carol ston and Hampl

found that " a considerable number of U.S. children and adults are

deficient or depleted in vitamin C. "

ston, ASU professor of nutrition, and Hampl, ASU associate

professor of nutrition, report their findings in the May issue of the

American Journal of Public Health.

The researchers' findings show that six to 17 percent of males and

five to 12 percent of females in the study had vitamin C deficiency.

Fifteen to 23 percent of males and 13 to 20 percent of females

suffered from vitamin C depletion.

Smokers, non-supplement users, and non-Hispanic black males had the

most elevated risk of vitamin C deficiency, while Mexican Americans

had a lower risk.

" Overall, we found, 12 percent of Americans had vitamin C

deficiency, " said Hampl. " Normally, doctors and other health

professionals think of scurvy as a disease of the past, but our

research has shown that this really isn't true. "

Scurvy, or vitamin C deficiency, is associated with low-grade

inflammation, fatigue, limping, gum bleeding, or swollen extremities.

Vitamin C depletion can also lead to a multitude of other health

problems and diseases.

Younger and older research participants had the lowest deficiency

levels in the ASU study. For all age groups, males suffered from

vitamin C deficiency more than females, with males reaching a peak of

17 percent among 25 to 64 year olds. Among females, the greatest

prevalence, at 12 percent, of vitamin C deficiency was found among 25

to 44 year olds.

Children and seniors were least likely to be deficient in vitamin C,

Hampl suggests, because children eat more fortified foods, and

seniors are most likely to take supplements.

The researchers suggest that health professionals recommend that

patients eat vitamin C-rich vegetables and fruits and that they

should recommend those at risk of vitamin C deficiency take vitamin

supplements.

ston calls on the nation's health care community to give equal

focus to the problems caused by vitamin C deficiencies.

" Our nation spends a significant amount of time and money aimed at

improving iron deficiencies, " said ston, " but iron deficiency is

no greater problem in terms of our health than vitamin-C deficiency. "

Hampl maintains the solution to maintaining proper vitamin C levels

is one that doesn't require a visit to the doctor.

" The easiest solution is to take a one-a-day vitamin that has vitamin

C, " said Hampl. " As a dietitian, though, I want to see people eating

more vitamin C-rich vegetables and fruits like oranges, grapefruits,

strawberries, and kiwi. "

Recommended daily allowances in the United States for vitamin C are

75 and 90 milligrams per day for women and men, respectively.

Hampl and ston used the Third National Health and Nutrition

Examination Survey of 30,818 individuals to assess dietary,

supplemental, and serum vitamin C. The cross-sectional survey

included personal household information and health examinations on

all study participants, aged 2 months and older, who were interviewed

over a six-year period from 1988 to 1994.

CONTACT FORMATION

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[Guest guest]

Thanks for posting this... interesting read. To me, 12% is high. IMO,

nearly all doctors do not ever think about vitamins, minerals or food

with respect to disease ... and are not trained to do so. A supplement

should be better than nothing... but supporting bioflavanoids may be

missing. For those interested, here's the list (from Nutrition Data) of

foods highest in C.

http://www.nutritiondata.com/foods-000101000000000000000.html

beneathremains wrote: (snippettes below)

> " Overall, we found, 12 percent of Americans had vitamin C deficiency, " said

Hampl. " Normally, doctors and other health professionals think of scurvy as a

disease of the past, but our research has shown that this really isn't true. "

>

>Scurvy, or vitamin C deficiency, is associated with low-grade inflammation,

fatigue, limping, gum bleeding, or swollen extremities. Vitamin C depletion can

also lead to a multitude of other health problems and diseases.

>

>The researchers suggest that health professionals recommend that patients eat

vitamin C-rich vegetables and fruits and that they should recommend those at

risk of vitamin C deficiency take vitamin supplements.

>

>ston calls on the nation's health care community to give equal focus to the

problems caused by vitamin C deficiencies.

>

> " The easiest solution is to take a one-a-day vitamin that has vitamin C, " said

Hampl. " As a dietitian, though, I want to see people eating more vitamin C-rich

vegetables and fruits like oranges, grapefruits,

>strawberries, and kiwi. "

>

>