Define the effect of Deficiency of Vitamin C?
Severe ascorbic acid deficiency results in the development of the disease known as scurvy, three important manifestations of scurvy - gingival changes, pain in the extremities and haemorrhagic manifestations - precede oedema, ulcerations, and ultimately death. The disease occurs in adults and infants. In infantile scurvy, the changes are at the sites of most active bone growth characteristic signs are a pseudoparalysis of the limbs caused by extreme pain on movement and haemorrhages under the periosteum, as well as, swelling and haemorrhages of the gums surrounding erupting teeth. Vitamin C deficiency can be detected from early signs of clinical deficiency, such as the follicular hypeskeratosis, petechial haetnolrhages, swollen or bleeding gums, and joint pain, or from the very low concentrations of ascorbate in plasma, blood, or leukocytes. In adults, one of the early principles adverse effects of the collagen- related pathology may be impaired wound healing.