Scurvy is a disease resulting from insufficient intake of vitamin C, which is required for correct collagen synthesis in humans. The scientific name of vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus. Scurvy leads to general lethargy and malaise, the formation of spots on the skin, spongy gums, and bleeding from all mucous membranes and the opening of old scars.When total lack of vitamin C is prolonged enough scurvy can be fatal. This makes it one of the most deadly nutritional deficiency diseases right behind oxygen, water, and protein. Scurvy received much of its notoriety in the mid 1800’s when Sir Joseph Lind discovered that symptoms of scurvy could be prevented by administering fresh lime juice. At the time British sailors were being ravaged by the disease and as a result of their ingestion of lime juice acquired the nickname “limeys”.

When people die from scurvy they mainly die from two things, infection or internal bleeding. Death by infection occurs because our leukocytes need vitamin C to function properly. Leukocytes are cells of the immune system defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. These cells are amoeba like meaning they can move around freely within the lymph system and they stop bacteria and viruses by engulfing and digesting them. Without vitamin c these cells cannot move or engulf leaving the organism(us) highly susceptible to even the mildest of infections without this front line defense provided by these amoeba like cells. When you have scurvy, an infection that might have otherwise only given you a sniffle could very well be lethal to you as a result of your lack of vitamin C.

Internal bleeding occurs in those with scurvy because our vessels are made mostly of collagen and without vitamin C your body cannot produce this protein. As a result the capillary walls become so weak that they either burst spontaneously from the blood pressure produced by the heart or they rupture from the slightest blows to the body. What would have been a friendly punch in the shoulder that would have left a bruise could now be a lethal bleed out for you.

We now know that a chronic lack of vitamin c can cause a milder form of vessel damage known as atherosclerosis. This form is only mild until the healing mechanism your body employs to protect against the vascular damage(plaque/scab buildup) comes to the point that it blocks bloodflow through that vessel and the tissue that the vessel supplies dies(heart attack).