Vitamin C deficiency

Hypovitaminosis C is a condition caused by a dietary lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and is characterized by an increased bleeding tendency and impaired collagen synthesis.

In hospital patients, it can be highly prevalent, but often 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.

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)