Scurvy

Scurvy is malady caused by a deficit of Vitamin C requirements in the diet. Humans lack the natural ability to produce ascorbic acid in the body. The body is solely dependent on diet and supplements for the daily requirement of Vitamin C. So without the proper amounts of Vitamin C scurvy can develop especially in cases like poverty, alcoholism, lack of teeth or malnutrition. Scurvy is very rare in the United States. Ascorbic acid is important and is required for normal collagen synthesis whereas collagen is a component of the connective tissues which forms the skin and mucous membrane.

Scurvy is an ancient disease first recorded as early as the 13th Century by Hippocrates. Scurvy received much attention during the 17th Century when numerous sailors suffered from and succumbed to the disease. Finding the cure for scurvy was one of the first documented clinical studies in medicine and was carried out by James Lind in 1747. Lind proved that citrus such as lemons cured scurvy.

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you have Scurvy, please consult your doctor.

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Scurvy Clinical Trials

• Naked Scientists: Science Forum: The Scurvy, the Vitamin C and the Blasphemy

• The Pirateologist General: Horrible Things That Happen at Sea: Scurvy (February 1, 2008)

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