What disease does a lack of vitamin C cause?

A lack of vitamin C causes scurvy. Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is needed to make collagen, a structural protein that helps maintain skin, blood vessels, bones, gums, and connective tissue.

Early scurvy symptoms can include tiredness, weakness, and aching limbs. As the deficiency worsens, a person may develop swollen or bleeding gums, easy bruising, poor wound healing, and changes to hair or skin. These problems occur because damaged connective tissues and small blood vessels cannot be repaired normally.

Scurvy became especially associated with sailors on long voyages who lacked fresh fruit and vegetables. Citrus fruits eventually became a practical preventive food, which is why British sailors were nicknamed “limeys.” Humans cannot manufacture vitamin C, unlike many animals, so it must come from the diet. Beriberi results from thiamine deficiency, pellagra from niacin deficiency, and rickets mainly from vitamin D deficiency.