Scurvy Symptoms: Red Flags to Look Out For

September 13, 2023

4 mins

If you think of pirates when you hear the word scurvy, you’re not wrong. 

Scurvy is a condition that was especially devastating for European sailors during the Age of Exploration. It’s caused by a lack of vitamin C in the diet –and while it took some time – sailors finally figured out that a barrel or two of lemons and limes on their journey went a long way in helping prevent this primitive condition. 

Still, nutritional diseases and conditions like scurvy are a real threat if you neglect some basic diet and lifestyle needs. Here’s everything to know about this age-old condition.

Online primary care, right from home.

Speak to board-certified doctors and nurses across the screen.

Get Started

What is Scurvy? 

Scurvy is the term for a condition that develops due to a severe vitamin C deficiency. Otherwise known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is an essential nutrient for the human body. Bodily functions in which vitamin C plays a crucial role include:

• production of collagen

• formation of blood vessels, cartilage, muscles, and bone tissues  

• metabolism of cholesterol and protein

• absorption and storage of iron

• healing of wounds and immune system responses

• neurotransmitters such as dopamine, carnitine, and epinephrine

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant. This means it’s beneficial in reducing free radical damage in the body. Your body cannot naturally produce vitamin C, so you need to get it from your diet. 

How Common is Scurvy? 

In the last 200 years, the number of scurvy cases has decreased significantly.

This being said, scurvy is still a real risk for some people – especially those living in extreme poverty, war-torn areas, or third-world countries. 

You can theoretically “get” scurvy anywhere, but the risks vary depending where you live. In the United States, research suggests about 7.1% of the population is at risk for developing scurvy. 

This is among the lowest in the world. Vitamin C deficiency prevalence in Northern India is as high as 73.9%. Nearly 75% of Northern India is at risk of not getting enough vitamin C in their diet to ward off scurvy. 

What Causes Scurvy? 

Scurvy results from a severe vitamin C deficiency. Your body cannot synthesize this essential nutrient naturally, which is why it’s essential to get sufficient vitamin C from food or supplements. 

Several factors elevate the risk of a vitamin C deficiency:

• Newborns and infants that aren’t breastfed

• Adults over the age of 65

• Alcohol or drug abuse

• Restrictive diets or eating disorders

• Living in poverty, being homeless, or a refugee

• Digestive conditions like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome

• Smoking tobacco

• Dialysis, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy

• Chronic diarrhea and dehydration

• Limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables 

Are There Warning Signs for Scurvy? 

Part of the reason scurvy is so dangerous is that it takes a while to diagnose. People generally ignore the early signs of scurvy because they’re so common:

• Muscle weakness

• Extreme fatigue and exhaustion

• Reduced or nonexistent appetite

• Unexplained weight loss

• Irritability and mood swings

• Aching or itching legs

• Mild fever

What are the Symptoms of Scurvy? 

The most prominent symptoms of scurvy usually don’t appear until eight to 12 weeks into a severe vitamin C deficiency. By then, scurvy symptoms are much more noticeable.

The most common early symptoms of scurvy include:

• Anemia: When the blood lacks hemoglobin or red blood cells to transport oxygen to organs

• Gingivitis: Irritation, redness, and swelling of the gums, resulting in bleeding 

• Hemorrhaging: Bleeding directly below the skin that causes skin discoloration

• Myalgia: Moderate to severe amounts of pain in your muscles and bones

• Edema: Severe swelling, primarily in your hands, arms, feet, ankles, and legs

• Petechiae: Tiny red, purple, and brown colored spots due to bleeding under your skin

• Corkscrew hairs: Bumps on your hair follicles result in corkscrew hairs that break easily

Symptoms of scurvy that you might mistake for another condition include:

• Severe bruising

• Slower wound healing

• Shortness of breath

• Mood swings and irritability

• Depression 

• Hair loss

• Tooth decay

• Chest pain

• Sensitivity to light

• Blurred vision

• Migraines

• Intestinal bleeding

• Dry or irritated eyes

Left untreated, these symptoms can become more severe and contribute to further health issues. Complications if a vitamin C deficiency continues for more than three months can include:

• Hemolysis: When your red blood cells are destroyed faster than your body can replace them. Headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and pale skin are symptoms.

• Jaundice: When the liver cannot process red blood cells as they break down. Your skin and the whites of your eyes will start to turn yellow.

• Neuropathy: Damage to the receptors and nerves in your body, especially the hands and feet. You might feel sensations of numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in your hand and feet. 

You may also experience spontaneous bleeding, severe fever, internal bleeding, convulsions, organ failure, and, eventually, delirium.

Can You Die from Scurvy? 

Scurvy can be fatal if left untreated. Due to the nature of the symptoms, it’s unclear exactly how long scurvy takes to kill you, and the most likely cause of death from scurvy would be excessive bleeding, organ failure, or a severe infection. 

Part of the reason scurvy was so deadly in the past is a lack of medical treatment and understanding of prevention through diet.

We have a much better understanding of the causes and treatments for scurvy today. Scurvy can still result in death if left untreated, but the odds in developing countries are virtually nonexistent. 

Is There a Test for Scurvy? 

If you have any of the symptoms above, talk to a doctor as soon as possible. A blood test can quickly measure your vitamin C levels.

Vitamin C levels in the body generally hover between 0.4 and 1.7 mg/dL. 

Your doctor may diagnose you with a vitamin C deficiency if you reach 0.2 mg/dL or lower.     

How is Scurvy Treated? 

The earliest treatment for scurvy was discovered in 1753 by a Scottish naval surgeon named James Lind. He found that eating oranges and lemons could cure the symptoms of scurvy. Before long, British sailors would carry tons of citrus fruits on long voyages. 

Treatment options have become more advanced, but the core principle is to get more vitamin C into the body. In cases of severe scurvy, a doctor may prescribe an oral vitamin C supplement or administer an injection. 

As vitamin C levels are restored, symptoms should begin to disappear.

• Within the first 24 hours: you may begin to feel less pain, mood swings, headaches, fatigue, and confusion.

• After a few weeks: jaundice, bruising, bleeding, and muscle weakness should start to fade.  

• After a few months: a complete recovery is possible except for permanent tooth loss or dental damage. 

Is Scurvy Preventable? 

Scurvy is easily preventable as long as you have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. With the abundance of food sources in modern times, it’s reasonably difficult to experience scurvy in a first-world country. 

The daily recommendation for vitamin C varies by age and gender. The United States Office of Dietary Supplements recommends the following intake of vitamin C:

• Age 1-3 years: 15 mg for males and females

• Age 4-8 years: 25 mg for males and females

• Age 9-13 years: 45 mg for males and females

• Age 14-18 years: 75 mg for males and 65 mg for females

• Age 19 years and beyond: 90 mg for males and 75 mg for females

Smokers use vitamin C at a faster rate than nonsmokers. As a result, smokers may need to add 35 mg to their daily recommended intake. Not only is smoking the leading cause of erectile dysfunction in men under 40, but it can also put you at increased risk for scurvy — another reason to quit sooner rather than later. 

What Foods Have the Highest Concentration of Vitamin C? 

Vitamin C is abundant in a ton of fruits and vegetables. Just one or two servings a day of a wide variety of these foods as part of a healthy diet can help you reach your daily vitamin C needs:

• Guavas: One cup of raw guava contains 377 mg of vitamin C.

• Kale: One cup of chopped kale contains 80 mg of vitamin C when raw and 53 mg when cooked. Spinach offers similar levels of vitamin C.

• Lemons and limes: contain about 83 mg of vitamin C each – including the peel.

• Mango: One cup of raw mango contains about 60 mg of vitamin C.

• Oranges: A medium orange contains 70 mg of vitamin C. One cup of orange juice contains 124 mg of vitamin C.

• Papaya: One cup of papaya contains 87 mg of vitamin C. 

• Strawberries: One cup of sliced strawberries contains 97 mg of vitamin C.

It’s important to note that vitamin C dissolves in water. Depending on how you cook these foods, they can lose a lot of their vitamin C.

Can You Have Too Much Vitamin C? 

The only way to prevent scurvy is to ensure that you’re getting enough vitamin C every day. 

Your body doesn’t produce vitamin C naturally, and it can’t store it either. You need to get vitamin C regularly to prevent a deficiency. 

Keep your total vitamin C intake under 2,000 mg per day, as vitamin C poisoning is possible too.

Learn More About Scurvy

Scurvy is rare compared to what it once was, but you should still do your best to get enough vitamin C daily.

In the modern world, most people don’t need to worry about scurvy so long as you get enough vitamin C. A few servings of fruits and vegetables should be more than enough to keep your levels where they need to be.