Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms, Risks and Effects | Sources of Vitamin C

Question: What are the symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency in women?

Answer: Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid, it is a water soluble vitamin found in abundance in the food that people eat.

Deficiency Of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the essential vitamins that the human body needs for good health and overall survival.

It is very important to remember that as an essential vitamin, the body needs it for various processes. Thus, when there is a deficiency of this vitamin in the body, serious consequences occur. This is especially the case when the deficiency occurs for a long period of time.

Thus, it is quite lucky that this vitamin is readily available in many food sources. One only has to eat certain fruits and vegetables to be able to meet the daily requirement for this vitamin. Also, if fruits are not readily available or if the individual does not like to eat fruits, supplements can be easily bought from the store.

Symptoms and Effects of Vitamin C Deficiency

The following are just some of the symptoms and risks that a person with vitamin C deficiency will experience:

• Prolonged and poor wound healing
• Weak immune system, recurrent colds are manifestation of its deficiency
• Recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infection
• Impaired bone growth
• Gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea
• Nose bleed
• Increased risk of cancer
• Arthritis
• Dermatitis
• Scurvy is the disease caused due to deficiency of this vitamin, gum bleeding and discoloration of the skin are the main symptoms of scurvy.

Sources of Vitamin C

The following food sources contain high levels of vitamin C:

• Oranges
• Papaya
• Parsley
• Broccoli
• Bell pepper
• Strawberry
• Lemon
• Kiwifruit
• Green leafy vegetables
• Tomatoes
• Cabbage
• Horseradish
• Potatoes
• Spinach
• Black currants

Facts About Vitamin C

The following facts apply for vitamin C

• The normal requirement of vitamin C in adult females is 75 mg per day.
• Women who are on birth control pill require more amount of vitamin C.
• Pregnant women and lactating women require more Vitamin C than other women.
• Adult men require 90 mg per day.
• Vitamin C is one of the safest to use, with almost no overdose experienced even by those who drink supplements and eat lots of the foods mentioned above.
• Still, the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for adult people is 2,000 mg per day.