Vitamin C deficiency

Hypovitaminosis C is also when in-hospital highly prevalent but almost completely unrecognized. Medical awareness of this potentially important disorder is hindered by the inability of most hospital laboratories to determine plasma Vitamin C concentrations. The availability of a simple, reliable method for analyzing plasma vitamin C could increase opportunities for routine plasma vitamin C analysis in clinical medicine.

This is also described in will give the following symptoms: lassitude, fatigue and irritability.

Evidence
The disease of terminal vitamin C deficiency – Scurvy – is first suspected on clinical grounds. The diagnosis is confirmed by documenting a plasma vitamin C concentration < 11.4 μmol/L and observing prompt clinical improvement after appropriate vitamin C provision. Scurvy is rare in the modern world, but hypovitaminosis C (plasma vitamin C concentration < 28.4 μmol/L ) or marginal vitamin C deficiency (plasma vitamin C concentration < 28.4 μmol/L but > 11.4 μmol/L ) is not. Hypovitaminosis C occurs in ~ 10 % of the general population, in ~ 30 % of cigarette smokers and ~ 60 % of acutely hospitalized patients , in whom it could contribute to fatigue and mood disturbance , immune system dysfunction , impaired wound healing, the complex regional pain syndrome and the complications of cardiovascular disease.

Cited from : Subclinical Vitamin C Deficiency: Clinical Application. Six of seven volunteers noted

mild but distinct fatigue and/or irritability at depletion, without scurvy. Symptoms disappeared within several days of the

30- or 60-mg daily dose. Although fatigue and irritability have myriad causes, vitamin C deficiency without scurvy should be an additional consideration.Since fatigue and irritability are common symptoms and were so easily reversible, physicians should ask patients with these symptoms about vitamin C ingestion from foods or supplements. [[File:60mgperday.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Steady state plateau ascorbic acid concentration in plasma. Data are an example of

plateau determination from volonteer 6 at the 60mg dose.]]

Blood test
The blood test procedure for Vitamin C deficiency is highly advanced. A simpler but less accurate is proposed in

Notable studies

 * 1996, Vitamin C pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers: evidence for a recommended dietary allowance

(Full Text)