Vitamin C deficiency is a serious health problem in the U.S.

[Guest guest]

This recent study concludes that scurvy, a Vitamin C deficiency, is a

serious health problem in the U.S. (this material comes from a University

press release and should be seen as preliminary.)

 

http://www.healthy.net/scr/news.asp?Id=9319

 

Arizona State University Researchers Find Scurvy Is Serious Health Problem

Provided by AScribe Newswire on 6/18/2004

by Arizona State University

 

 

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 Johnston and Jeffrey Hampl found that " a

considerable number of U.S. children and adults are deficient or depleted

in vitamin C. "

 

Johnston, 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.

 

Johnston 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 Johnston, " 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 Johnston 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

 

Jeff Holeman, 480-727-1173 or 602-316-6484; jholeman Nancy Neff,

480-965-4836; nneff

 

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