Researchers Find Scurvy Is Serious Health Problem

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Arizona State University Researchers Find Scurvy Is

Serious Health Problem

Provided by AScribe Newswire on 6/18/2004

by Arizona State University

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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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