Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin C deficiency affects about 1 in 20 people. Our bodies can’t produce vitamin C nor can it be stored in large amounts in the body. So, it must be consumed regularly to prevent deficiency.

Luckily, many deficiency symptoms are resolved once vitamin C levels are restored, which can take anywhere from 24 hours to a couple months. 

Here are some common vitamin C deficiency symptoms:

• Fatigue and poor mood
• Unexplained weight gain
• Rough bumpy skin
• Crinkled body hair
• Red hair follicles
• Spoon-shaped fingernails with lines
• Dry, damaged skin
• Easy bruising
• Slowly healing wounds
• Painful, swollen joints
• Weak bones
• Bleeding gums
• Poor immunity
• Persistent irron deficiency anemia
• Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress
  

Fatigue and poor mood

Early signs of vitamin C deficiency are poor mood and fatigue. (11, 12) These symptoms commonly appear before a full blown deficiency develops. (13) Luckily, they typically resolved after a few days of vitamin c supplementation or within 24 hours of high-does supplementation. (14)

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Unexplained weight gain

Did you know low levels of vitamin C have been linked to high amounts of belly fat in normal-weight individuals? (16) Studies show that vitamin C may help protect against obesity by regulating your body's release of fat from fat cells and by reducing stress hormones. (15)

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Rough bumpy skin 

If you ever get those little bumps on the back of your upper arms, your thighs or butt, you may have a vitamin C deficiency-- endearingly called "chicken skin." (18) Usually this condition appears three to five months of inadequate vitamin C intake and is easily resolved with supplementation. (19)  

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Crinkled body hair

Vitamin C deficiency can cause your body hairs to grow in bent or coiled shapes. (20) This symptom may be difficult to detect because they are damaged and are prone to break off or fall out before you may ever notice. (21) Only one month of adequate supplementation of vitamin C can resolve hair abnormalities. (22)

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Bright red hair follicles

Hair follicles have tiny blood vessels that provide nutrients for hair growth. When you are deficient in vitamin c, these blood vessels become fragile and break, causing small red spots to appear around the follicles. This is called perifollicular hemorrhage, and a tell-tale sign of vitamin C deficiency. (22, 23) Supplementing vitamin C for two weeks usually resolves this symptom. (24)

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Spoon-shaped fingernails with lines

Your nails are often thin and brittle and the white parts of your nailbed have a concave share. They are commonly associated with iron deficiency anemia, but have also been linked to vitamin C deficiency. (25, 26) Red spots or vertical lines in the nail bed may appear, which is known as splinter hemorrhage. 

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Dry, damaged skin

Healthy skin contains large amounts of vitamin C Vitamin C plays a key role in the production of collagen. (17) . (27) Vitamin C protects our skin from oxidative damage cause by sun and pollutants like cigarette smoke or the ozone. (28, 29). High intakes of vitamin C are associated with better skin quality, while lower intakes are associates with a 10% increased risk of developing dry, wrinkled skin. (30, 31, 32)

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Easy Bruising 

You bruise when blood vessels under the skin rupture. Since vitamin C is linked to collagen production, a deficiency can cause poor collagen product and weak blood vessels.(33) Easy bruising is often one of the first obvious symptoms of a deficiency. (34, 35, 36)

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Slowly healing wounds

Since vitamin C deficiency slows the rate of collagen formation, wounds will heal slower. (37) Slow wound healing is usually one of the more advanced symptoms of vitamin C deficiency and usually not seen until after months of deficiency. (38, 39)

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Painful, swollen joints

Joints contain a lot of collagen-rich connective tissues, they are often a cause of vitamin C deficiency. Bleeding can sometimes occur within the joints, causing swelling and additional pain. (40) Luckily, these symptoms can be treated with vitamin c supplements and resolve within one week. 

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Weak bones

Low intake of vitamin C has been linked to increased risk of bone fracture and osteoporosis. (41, 42, 43) Research shows that vitamin C plays a critical role in bone formation, thus, a deficiency can increase the rate of bone loss. (44)

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Bleeding gums and tooth loss

Red, swollen bleeding gums are a sign of vitamin C deficiency as gum tissues become weakened and inflamed and blood vessels more easily bleed. (45) 

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Poor immunity

Studies show that vitamin C accumulates inside various immune cells to help combat infection and destroy disease-causing pathogens. (46, 47 Vitamin C deficiency increases a your risk of infection, including serious illness like pneumonia. (48, 49, 50)

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Persistent iron deficiency anemia

Low levels of vitamin C may contribute to iron deficiency anemia by reducing the absorption of iron form plant based foods. (51, 52, 53)

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Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress

Vitamin C is one of the body’s most important water-soluable antioxidant, reducing oxidative stress. Low vitamin C intake have been linked to higher levels of inflammation and oxidative stress, and increased of heart disease. (54, 55)

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