Treatments For Scurvy
When individuals hear the word ‘scurvy,’ visions of pirates with peg legs, maps to buried treasure, walking the plank, and sailing the high seas in a grand ship tend to come to mind. While these pirates are the work of television and movies, their association with scurvy isn’t too far from the truth. Namely, scurvy is an affliction that has been around since the time of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, though it became more prevalent with sailors in the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries. Scurvy is the name for a severe vitamin C deficiency that can lead to anemia, exhaustion, spontaneous bleeding, leg pain, swelling, and loss of teeth. It can affect anyone, not just pirates and sailors, and is fatal if left untreated. It is simple to treat, thankfully. Get to know the major treatment options for scurvy now.
Recommended Vitamin C Dosage
Modern cases in the United States are rare but have happened throughout history and still occur in malnourished parts of the world or following times of conflict. For example, cases of scurvy followed the Irish Potato Famine, the American Civil War, and (most recently) the War in Afghanistan in 2002.
Infants, formula fed or breastfeeding, need up to fifty milligrams of vitamin C per day while toddlers (ages one to three years) should have fifteen milligrams. Children and teens should consume between twenty-five and seventy-five milligrams per day and adults up to ninety milligrams. Exceptions to this are pregnant women and smokers, who should consume more than the recommended dosage.
Continue for more on scurvy and treating through vitamin C.
Injections Of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a nutrient that helps the body produce collagen and absorb iron. Early signs of vitamin C deficiency are weight loss, fatigue, and irritability, which can appear as in as early as eight weeks. Worsening symptoms may be corkscrew hairs, shortness of breath, mood changes, fever, jaundice, and convulsions. Additionally, studies have shown a lack of vitamin C during pregnancy can lead to problems with fetal brain development.
They go on to say treatment involves administering vitamin C by mouth or by injection using the following chart at one to two grams per day for two or three days, five hundred milligrams for the next seven days, and one hundred milligrams for one to three months.
Continue for more on curing scurvy through vitamin C.
Vitamin C Supplements
Doctors and health professionals commonly recommend getting your vitamin C intake from foods, though many individuals turn to supplements to meet their daily needs. Foods containing vitamin C include oranges, lemons, strawberries, kiwi, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, potatoes, spinach, paprika, liver, and oysters.
Keep in mind that, while fresh produce is the best source of vitamin C, the vitamins in produce can diminish due to heat and storage. So, if you do not have access to fresh produce, vitamin C supplements can be purchased online or in health food stores. Namely, some benefits of vitamin C supplements are they reduce the risk of chronic diseases, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Also, vitamin C can heighten immunity and protect your memory as you age by lowering your risk of dementia.
Keep reading for more ways to treat scurvy.
A Diet High In Vitamin C
A diet high in vitamin C can prevent scurvy, though there may be several reasons why one may be at risk. Unfortunately, humans do not make vitamin C. It must be attained from outside sources, like fresh produce (especially oranges and other fresh fruits or fortified food like cereal).
A deficiency may result from illnesses such as anorexia or other eating disorders, usually associated with mental health issues; food allergies, and difficulty ingesting food (e.g., Crohn’s disease). Age may also play a factor in vitamin C deficiency because seniors may have trouble chewing and breastfeeding infants may suffer if their mother isn’t getting enough vitamin C, especially if they’re weaned late or unsuccessfully. Additionally, alcoholism or drug use may curb the desire to eat, so those afflicted should take extra care to consume fresh produce and smokers should increase their intake of vitamin C by thirty-five milligrams.
Continue reading to learn about the duration of recovering from scurvy.
Recovery Duration
In past centuries, sailors prevented scurvy by rationing one lime per day to each crew member, which they believed was the prevention and cure for it. Now, very few cases of scurvy have been reported in the United States since 1976.
Scurvy can be life-threatening and fatal if left undiagnosed. However, it is easily treated by adding fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet or taking supplements and getting injections. A blood test can confirm scurvy and treatment may begin. Most patients afflicted with scurvy will feel better with treatment in as little as twenty-four hours. After three months, a complete recovery is possible and long-term damage will be minimal.