Vitamin Deficiency: Functions and Deficiency of Vitamins C and D

Vitamin C

• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) plays a crucial role in the formation of collagen, carnitine, hormone, and amino acid.
• Essential for wound healing and recovery from burns.
• Benefits of Vitamin C:
  • Boosts antioxidant levels.
  • Lowers blood pressure.
  • Protects against gout attacks.
  • Improves iron absorption.
  • Boosts immunity.
  • Reduces heart disease and dementia risk.

Vitamin C Deficiency

• Vitamin C deficiency can occur as part of general undernutrition.
• Severe deficiency leads to scurvy, a disorder characterized by:
  • Hemorrhagic manifestations.
  • Abnormal osteoid, dentin, and connective tissue lesions and defects.
  • Symptoms: gingivitis, petechiae, rash, internal bleeding, and impaired wound healing.
• In infants and children, bone growth may be impaired.
• Treatment: oral vitamin C.

Vitamin D Deficiency

• Causes:
  • Limited exposure to sunlight.
  • Liver dysfunction.
  • Kidney failure.
  • Hypoparathyroidism.
  • Malabsorption (e.g., Crohn's disease).
  • Obesity.
  • Not eating enough fish or milk.
• Signs and symptoms:
  • Frequent illness or infection.
  • Fatigue and tiredness.
  • Bone and back pain.
  • Depression.
  • Bone loss.
  • Hair loss.
  • Muscle pain.

Rickets

• A condition that affects bone development in children, causing bones to become soft and weak.
• Leads to bone deformities.
• In adults, rickets is known as osteomalacia or soft bones.