Published By: Sayan Paul

7 signs that you might have vitamin C deficiency

Scroll down to learn some common signs indicating that you might have a vitamin C deficiency.

Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays a significant role in various functions in your body. It helps repair the bodily tissues, supports the production of several enzymes, boosts the immune system and more. As the human body cannot produce vitamin C, we need to intake an adequate amount of this vitamin through our regular diet. And when we don't, it leads us to a serious health condition called vitamin C deficiency. Several other factors such as inflammation, hyperthyroidism, surgery, pregnancy, smoking etc. can also contribute to this issue.

Here are some common signs of vitamin C deficiency:

Skin issues: Vitamin C is an antioxidant which protects the skin cells from free radical damage. It encourages collagen production in the body, which further helps keep the skin soft, smooth and plump. All these functions get restricted when the vitamin C level is low in the body, leaving the skin dry, wrinkled and damaged.

Hair problems: As the collagen production gets hampered due to vitamin C deficiency, it damages the hair follicles and leads you to hair loss. It ruins the protein structure in body hair, leaving it in corkscrew-shaped. Also, this condition develops bright red spot around the hair follicles in the body.

Joint ache: A lack of vitamin C in the body causes severe swelling and pain through the joints. If the condition is serious, there can cause bleeding within the joints. The condition makes it difficult for you to walk.

Slow would healing: When you get an injury or cut, the vitamin C present in the body helps repair the skin through collagen formation. Also, this vitamin encourages the white blood cells to prevent the spread of infections throughout the body. So, it's obvious that a lack of vitamin C would slow the rate of wound healing in your body.

Tiredness and poor mood: Vitamin C deficiency cuts down the energy levels in the body, leaving you excessively tired throughout the day. Also, as it helps reduce the production of stress hormones, a lack of vitamin C might affect your mental health.

Poor immunity: As previously mentioned, vitamin C helps boost the immune system in your body. So, a deficiency of this vitamin in the body weakens the immunity, making you prone to numerous infections.

Weight gain: Several studies have found that vitamin C promotes the fat release from cells, lowers inflammation and reduces the production of stress hormones in the body; all of which prevent obesity. So, low levels of vitamin C leads the excess fat to be deposited in the body, leaving you obese.

Bleeding gums, nosebleeds, vision loss, poor dental health, anemia etc. are some other signs of vitamin C deficiency.