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A recent survey has shown that a lack of vitamin C in our body can lead to abnormal bleeding, fatigue, and weakness. This is most likely to happen in elderly people. Detailing the case of a 65-year-old woman who had little physical activity and was socially isolated, the study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) states that scurvy or vitamin C deficiency is not just a disease of 18th-century sailors.
Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada have urged doctors to keep scurvy in mind in patients with abnormal bleeding and general symptoms.
The woman had these problems-
The elderly woman was brought to the emergency department of a downtown Toronto hospital with a variety of ailments, including pain and weakness in her legs, skin lesions, and discoloration. The woman also had several chronic health problems.
She was also unable to go grocery shopping, cook, and perform other daily activities due to problems arising from reduced physical activity. She relied mainly on canned soup and fish.
Dr. Sarah Engelhardt of Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto elaborated on this topic. She said, "This case presents a complex example of food insecurity, which appears as an unusual diagnosis."
These problems may occur-
In this study, researchers found that vitamin C deficiency is more common in the 21st century than researchers and doctors expected. However, treatment of this disease is often challenging, as its symptoms are often vague, such as fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath.
The woman selected for the study also smoked, which further aggravated the deficiency of vitamin C in her body. Doctors said that after starting vitamin C treatment, her symptoms improved and a blood test for vitamin C deficiency eventually confirmed the diagnosis. Doctors said, "Clinicians should be alert to vitamin C deficiency when evaluating patients, including children and the elderly."
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