Vitamin C Deficiency and Therapeutic use
Free online lectures for undergraduate and medical students by Biochemistry Club
Deficiency of Vitamin C
Vitamin C deficiency can cause following conditions:
Scurvy
- Gross deficiency of Vitamin C can result in Scurvy.
- Infantile scurvy: In infants and children between 6 to 12 months especially those on weaning from breast milk the deficiency symptoms can be seen. Vitamin C supplementation shoud be added.
Hemorrhagic Tendencies
Effect on Oral Cavity
- Vitamin C deficiency results to scurvy.
- It characterized by spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin, and extreme weakness.
- it is due to defective hydroxylation of collagen resulting in extravasation of blood from the capillaries.
- Blood vessel lack tensile strength and rupture easily.
- The pulp is separated from the dentine and finally teeth are lost.
- Wound healing may be delayed.
Effect on Bones
- The deficiency results in the failure of the osteoblasts to form the intercellular substance, osteoid.
- Without the normal ground substance, the deposition of bone is arrested.
- The resulting Scorbutic bone is weak and fractures easily.
- There may be hemorrhage into joint cavities.
- Painful swelling of joints may prevent mobility of the patient.
Anemia
- In Vitamin C deficiency, microcytic, hypochromic anemia
is seen.
FOR FULL LESSON GO TO HOME PAGE, CLICK BIOCHEMISTRY I AND THEN CLICK VITAMINS. IN VITAMINS SECTION, CLICK CURRICULUM TO VIEW THE FULL LIST OF LESSONS .