Scurvy Symptoms Are on the Rise—Could You Have This ‘Pirate’s Disease?’
Think scurvy is ancient history? GLP-1s and high-protein diets may be fueling its return
If you’re feeling unusually tired or bruising more easily than you used to, it may not be routine aging. It could be scurvy. We often think of this condition as an old-timey illness that affected pirates, but in reality, it’s a simple vitamin deficiency. And it’s on the rise once again, thanks to modern dietary changes like eating more processed foods or taking GLP-1 medication. The good news: Scurvy can be easily treated. Keep reading for a pirate’s treasure trove of information on scurvy symptoms and remedies. Ahoy! Your body is trying to tell you something, and we’re here to help you answer the call.
What causes scurvy?
“Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C,” explains obesity medicine specialist Roberto Valledor, MD, of Mochi Health. “Although it sounds like a historical illness, it still occurs today, and you would be surprised how often I see it.”
As Dr. Valledor explains, “Vitamin C is crucial for the production of collagen, a protein used to hold your tissues together. When levels get too low, everything starts to fall apart.” That affects everything from our joints to our immunity.
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Common scurvy symptoms to watch for
Early on, be aware of these subtle warning signs of scurvy:
- Fatigue or weakness
- Moodiness
- Joint pain
As the deficiency progresses, you may see the following symptoms of scurvy:
- Swollen, purple or bleeding gums
- Skin that bruises easily
- Tiny, pinprick hemorrhages on skin
- Dots surrounding hair follicles or hairs that grow like corkscrews
- Poor wound healing
- Thin, brittle hair
- Poor immunity or an increased susceptibility to infections
If you notice any of these scurvy symptoms, talk to your doctor. He or she will likely order a blood test in addition to asking about your diet and symptoms. “Generally speaking, a vitamin C blood level less than 11 umol/L is considered deficient,” reveals James J. Chao, MD, who runs VedaNu Wellness, a metabolic program that offers GLP-1s.
Are scurvy cases really on the rise?
Yes. Some countries have called it a “re-emerging diagnosis.” And one large analysis of young patients found that scurvy cases have tripled in recent years, with orthopaedic surgeons calling it a “troubling rise.”
Preventative medicine specialist Yoon Hang Kim, MD, MPH, says ER doctors have been “whispering about” this growing trend for years. “In hospitalized populations with chronic illness, the number can exceed 30 percent,” he says. “Most people won’t develop clinical scurvy—but the ones who do are getting missed because no one’s looking for a ‘dead’ disease.”
Dr. Kim stresses, “Scurvy is the canary in the coal mine for a larger nutritional crisis hiding in plain sight—and what restrictive diet trends, food insecurity and medical blind spots have in common.”
4 modern diet trends fueling scurvy’s comeback
Our system doesn’t produce its own vitamin C, so deficiencies of this essential nutrient can often occur. “It isn’t stored within the body, meaning it must be consumed regularly through diet and/or supplementation,” says anti-aging and regenerative medicine specialist Brynna Connor, MD, healthcare ambassador at NorthWestPharmacy.com.
But it’s more than that. Many people are too busy to prepare homemade salads these days, and increasing grocery prices are squeezing our everyday food budgets. Plus, a new piece published in the British Medical Journal highlights the risk of modern-day malnutrition, especially in overweight people. Four diet trends in particular are fueling the deficiency:
GLP-1 medications
Some people are developing scurvy symptoms after dieting or taking GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Dr. Valledor says, “These drugs suppress your appetite. That’s the point. But when you’re not hungry, you eat less. And if what you do eat is only a few hundred calories and mostly junk, then you risk deficiencies of all kinds, including vitamin C.”
Intermittent fasting
“When symptoms associated with scurvy present in individuals who are adhering to intermittent fasting, it’s often because a priority is being placed on eating other foods during the eating windows, for example, protein,” says Dr. Connor. “If there’s not a conscious effort to constantly consume nutrient-dense foods, including citrus fruits, it can unintentionally cause a micronutrient deficiency, especially when it comes to vitamin C.”
The protein craze
Eating more protein has lots of muscle and longevity benefits, but it may be happening at the expense of fresh fruits and vegetables. Dr. Kim cites an old study declaring “Scurvy in an Unrepentant Carnivore.” He adds, “That was 25 years ago, and the trend line has only gotten worse.”
Low-calorie dieting
“Some people eat less than 10 different whole food items per week,” adds Dr. Chao. “When you decrease the variety of your diet you put yourself at risk. If you are on a mission to lose weight and are consuming fewer than 1,000 calories a day, you may be depriving yourself of enough micronutrients,” which can lower your levels of vitamin C.
How to treat scurvy symptoms naturally
Thankfully, it is easy to quickly reverse this deficiency. “The cure is, of course, vitamin C,” Dr. Valledor says. Here’s how to boost your levels:
Start with whole foods
“When people think of increasing their vitamin C intake through foods, they typically think of citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and/or tangerines,” says Dr. Connor. “However, other excellent sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, tomatoes and potatoes. Blueberries have high amounts of both vitamin C and polyphenols, as well as pomegranates.”
Supplementing can help
For confirmed cases of scurvy, Dr. Valledar says, “The usual dose is 1,000 mg per day [of vitamin C] for a month or so, then a lower maintenance dose. Most people respond within days to weeks.” Always treat scurvy with a doctor’s help.
Moving forward, “the recommended daily intake of vitamin C is 75 mg per day for women,” says Dr. Connor. “One medium orange provides approximately 70 mg of vitamin C.” She adds that supplementation may be most helpful for those who have dietary restrictions or suffer from chronic inflammatory conditions, such as IBD. She says, “Older adults may also require vitamin C supplementation, as our bodies become less efficient at absorbing nutrients as we age.”
When to see your doctor about scurvy symptoms
It’s important to treat scurvy with the help of a doctor. “It is possible to take too much vitamin C,” Dr. Connor points out. “Although rare, serious side effects of excess vitamin C include gastrointestinal upset and potentially kidney stones.”
And Dr. Chao says, “Patients with easy bruising or bleeding gums should be evaluated by a physician and not self-diagnose with scurvy. There are many medical reasons someone might bruise or bleed easily.”
The bottom line: Treating scurvy symptoms is simple. By getting more essential vitamin C into your system, you can start to feel energized and healthier again within days.
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