Scurvy is known for being the disease of pirates and sailors. “Seamen and pirates and explorers got scurvy because they ran out of citrus and other vitamin C–rich foods on their long journeys,” Springer says. The symptoms of scurvy aren’t pleasant, but the disease is treatable and easy to recover from.
Weakness, fatigue, or irritabilityLoss of appetite or weight lossMuscular painSunken eyesPalenessDiarrheaIncreased heart rate or shortness of breathFever
Swelling in joints or gumsReopening of old woundsEasy bruisingBulging eyesDry, scaly skin
Weakness and irritabilityPoor wound healingBone painLoss of appetiteSwollen, bluish gumsReduced bone formationSwollen limbs that bruise easily
High alcohol intakeTobacco useLow incomeBeing on dialysis
The Carnivore Diet and Scurvy
All management of severe vitamin C deficiency should be under the direction of your healthcare team.
Medication Options
The only medication to treat scurvy is vitamin C–rich foods and vitamin C supplementation (pill form, intravenous, or injected).
Red and green pepperCitrus fruits, such as oranges, pineapple, and grapefruitStrawberriesKiwiBroccoliTomatoes
Prevention of Scurvy
Springer suggests shooting for five servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. That’ll put you at around 200 mg of vitamin C, she says, which gives you a little more than the recommended daily intake, to make sure you’re covered. Though very rare, there are potential complications associated with scurvy treatment. “Since vitamin C is water soluble — meaning that excessive amounts will be eliminated in the urine — toxic accumulation of vitamin C within the body is extremely unlikely,” Springer says. “However, I would still recommend staying below the upper limit of 2,000 mg per day of vitamin C, because too much can cause undesirable side effects, especially for those with kidney problems.”
This part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services outlines key information about vitamin C, including its role in the body and the importance of making sure you are getting enough. It’s a good starting place for anyone looking to understand the basics of this essential nutrient. Office of Dietary Supplements This set of answers to frequently asked questions can guide you in the purchase of vitamin C supplements if a doctor decides that’s the best approach to meeting your vitamin C needs. We like that it’s authoritative and straightforward. Daily Harvest There are plenty of meal kit delivery services to choose from these days, but we like Daily Harvest for its focus on fruits and veggies. The smoothies, grain bowls, soups, chia bowls, and more can be stored in your freezer so you have vitamin C–rich meals on hand. U.S. Department of Agriculture This robust nutrient database outlines the vitamin C content in hundreds of foods, so you can find out which eats are good sources of the nutrient. Nutrition Facts (Android) and Nutrition Info (iOS) When you’re on the go, call on Nutrition Facts, an Android app that puts the nutritional info — including vitamin C content — of more than 8,000 foods at your fingertips. For a similar app available for Apple products, try Nutrition Info. It features a simpler design but still has the info you need when you’re trying to eat healthy. Meal Prep Monday Podcast Trying to avoid a vitamin C deficiency? Meal prepping can help you keep stocked with home-cooked meals, making fast food and unhealthy takeout options much easier to avoid. Queue up this podcast for help getting started. The 10-minute episodes from personal chef and dietitian Allison Schaaf offer best practices and recipe ideas.
