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🎙 Scurvy in Modern Times

• Michael Nwaneri, MD • Season 1 • Episode 78

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Ever wondered if diseases from history books could still affect your family today? That's exactly what we're exploring as we dive into the surprising reappearance of scurvy in modern children. Far from being just a sailor's malady from centuries past, this vitamin C deficiency continues to show up in pediatric practices across the country—even in affluent communities like those served by Omega Pediatrics in Georgia.

The conversation takes us through what scurvy actually is and why it matters: a vitamin C deficiency that prevents proper collagen formation. Think of collagen as your body's scaffolding—it gives structure to skin, blood vessels, ligaments, tendons, bones, and teeth. Without it, things quite literally fall apart. We explore the tell-tale signs parents should watch for, from the early and easily-missed symptom of fatigue to more classic indicators like bleeding gums, joint pain, anemia, and perhaps most alarming, old wounds reopening as collagen breaks down.

What's particularly fascinating is understanding why this historical disease persists despite our knowledge and apparent food abundance. The culprits range from our increasing reliance on ultra-processed foods (which taste great but lack nutrients) to picky eating habits, overcooking vegetables (destroying vitamin C), medical conditions that affect absorption, and significant socioeconomic barriers to accessing fresh produce. The good news? Scurvy is both treatable and preventable with proper supplementation and dietary changes. We wrap up with practical advice for families: take an honest look at your regular meals and ask—are vitamin C-rich foods consistently on your table? Are there lots of colors from fruits and vegetables? These simple questions might be your best defense against a disease we wrongly assumed was relegated to history.

Ready to ensure your family's nutritional health? Subscribe to Have More Babies Now for more insights on keeping kids healthy, and visit omegapediatrics.com for additional resources on childhood nutrition and wellness.

Visit the blog post: https://www.omegapediatrics.com/the-astonishing-reality-of-scurvy/

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Stella:

Welcome to have More Babies Now. You might think we're talking about family size today, but actually we're diving into something quite different A health issue many of us probably think is just history.

Matthew:

Right Like something from old seafaring stories.

Stella:

Exactly Scurvy.

Matthew:

Yes.

Stella:

That scurvy and the surprising thing is well, it's still around. We're digging into an article today from Omega Pediatrics. They're a great pediatrics practice with spots right here in Georgia Roswell, alpharetta, milton, marietta, riverdale.

Matthew:

So relevant to a lot of families listening.

Stella:

Definitely, and our mission really is to get a handle on what scurvy actually is, why it's popping up even now. What signs you should look for.

Matthew:

And, crucially, how to prevent it and keep kids healthy.

Stella:

Precisely Because this old disease, it's actually a concern for parents today.

Matthew:

It really is. You know, we picture those sailors long voyages, no fresh fruit. But the Omega Pediatrics piece reminds us this isn't just history. It's a vitamin C deficiency, ascorbic acid deficiency, and while, yeah, it's rare compared, to, say, the common cold, it does happen and vitamin c is just so vital for so many things in the body, especially, uh, making collagen collagen.

Stella:

Right, you hear that word everywhere health, beauty. But break it down for us. What does it do in a kid's body? Why is it so important?

Matthew:

think of it like well, like the body, scaffolding or maybe glue. It's a protein that gives structure to skin, blood vessels, ligaments, tendons, even bones and teeth.

Stella:

Wow, okay, everywhere.

Matthew:

Pretty much. It keeps tissue strong, flexible. So if you don't have enough vitamin C, your body just can't make healthy collagen. Yeah, and that's when, as the Omega Pediatrics article outlines, you start seeing the problems, the symptoms of scurvy.

Stella:

Right and the article is pretty clear Even with all the food available today, this isn't gone and ignoring it, serious consequences.

Matthew:

Absolutely.

Stella:

So let's get into the why. Why is this still a thing in our modern world? What are the main causes?

Matthew:

now, Well, the number one reason. According to the article, it's still straightforward Not getting enough vitamin C in the diet. Plain and simple. Just not eating the right stuff Often yes, not enough fruits, not enough vegetables the main places we get it, but there's more to it. How you prepare food matters too.

Stella:

Oh.

Matthew:

Yeah, like overcooking vegetables, that can actually destroy a lot of the vitamin C. It's quite sensitive to heat.

Stella:

Huh, didn't realize that.

Matthew:

And then there's the convenience factor. We rely a lot on processed foods, right Quick meals, snacks.

Stella:

Guilty as charged. Sometimes Life gets busy.

Matthew:

Exactly, but those often lack essential nutrients, including vitamin C. So convenience, can you know, come at a nutritional price.

Stella:

That makes total sense.

Matthew:

The article also mentioned other factors right beyond just the day-to-day diet. Yes, definitely there are situations that put people at higher risk, things like malabsorption issues.

Stella:

Like Crohn's disease.

Matthew:

Exactly like Crohn's If your body struggles to absorb nutrients properly, you can eat enough vitamin C but still become deficient. Same goes for kids with severe food allergy.

Stella:

Ah, because their diets might be really restricted.

Matthew:

Precisely If they can't eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies. Getting enough C can be a challenge and unfortunately we also have to consider socioeconomic factors.

Stella:

Meaning access to food.

Matthew:

Yeah, low income can really limit access to fresh produce. It might just be too expensive or maybe there aren't good grocery stores nearby, so a deficiency can happen simply because healthy food isn't readily available or affordable.

Stella:

That's a tough reality. Access isn't equal for everyone.

Matthew:

Okay, so let's pivot to recognizing it. The Omega Pediatrics info is great here. What signs should parents you know keep an eye out for?

Stella:

Well, the article stresses that it develops kind of gradually. It's not usually sudden. One of the first things might just be fatigue.

Matthew:

Just feeling tired. That seems so general.

Stella:

It is. That's why it's easy to miss or blame on something else. But as the deficiency gets worse, more classic signs appear. Bleeding gums are a big one.

Matthew:

Like when brushing their teeth.

Stella:

Exactly, or even spontaneously. The gums might look swollen, maybe a bit purplish, and bleed really easily. Then there's joint pain. Kids might complain, their arms or legs hurt. Ouch Okay.

Matthew:

Scurvy can also cause anemia because vitamin C is involved in iron absorption and red blood cell health. So fewer red blood cells, less oxygen getting around.

Stella:

Which links back to the fatigue, I guess.

Matthew:

It can. Yes, and one really concerning sign mentioned is old wounds reopening. Scars that had healed might start to break down again.

Stella:

Wow, that really drives home how basic vitamin C is for just holding the body together.

Matthew:

It really does. It shows that collagen breakdown in action.

Stella:

So if a parent sees some of these things maybe the bleeding gums or the joint pain what happens next? How do doctors figure it out and, importantly, how's it treated?

Matthew:

Okay. So according to the Omega Pediatrics article, doctors will usually run blood tests. That's the direct way to check vitamin C levels.

Stella:

Makes sense.

Matthew:

They'll also do a thorough checkup, you know medical history, physical exam looking closely at the skin and gums. And if scurvy is diagnosed, the good news is treatment is generally very effective.

Stella:

Okay, good. What does that involve?

Matthew:

It's primarily about getting vitamin C levels back up, so supplementation is key. Often they start with quite high doses to quickly replenish the body's stores.

Stella:

Like a loading dose.

Matthew:

Kind of yeah. Then they gradually reduce it to a normal daily amount. And, just as importantly, dietary changes are crucial, really focusing on bringing in those vitamin C rich foods.

Stella:

Like oranges, strawberries, what else?

Matthew:

Well, peppers are fantastic sources actually Kiwi, broccoli lots of options and regular follow-ups are needed to monitor levels and make sure everything's getting back on track.

Stella:

That's reassuring, that it's treatable if caught, but obviously we'd rather avoid it altogether. Prevention seems like the way to go.

Matthew:

Always. Prevention is absolutely the best strategy here.

Stella:

So what are the practical steps? What can parents do proactively?

Matthew:

It really comes down to that balanced diet. We talked about Making sure there's a good variety of fruits and vegetables offered every day.

Stella:

Consistently.

Matthew:

Building those habits Exactly, and the article suggests teaching kids about why vitamin C is important from a young age, helping them understand you know, this food helps keep you strong. Getting them involved from a young age, helping them understand. You know this food helps keep you strong, getting them involved Right. And for those kids with specific challenges, like the malabsorption issues or allergies we mentioned, working closely with their pediatrician or maybe registered dietitian is super important. They need a tailored plan.

Stella:

Got it. It's just fascinating, isn't it, how this condition we linked to the past is still here. Looking at all this, what's your biggest takeaway on why scurvy persists now, despite everything we know?

Matthew:

It really highlights a disconnect, doesn't it?

Stella:

Yeah.

Matthew:

We have the medical knowledge. We understand nutrition. Many of us have access to incredible food variety, yet deficiency still happens. It makes you think why?

Stella:

Yeah, what's the gap?

Matthew:

Is it maybe the overwhelming presence of ultra-processed foods? They're easy, they taste good to kids, but nutritionally maybe not so great.

Stella:

Or picky eaters. That's a struggle for lots of parents.

Matthew:

A huge factor. Potentially, If a child only eats a very narrow range of foods, it's hard to get all the necessary nutrients. Or perhaps, honestly, it's just awareness. Maybe some parents just don't realize scurvy is even a possibility today.

Stella:

Thinking it's purely historical.

Matthew:

Exactly. And then you layer on those societal factors, even in places like Roswell or Alpharetta, where Omega Pediatrics operates, areas we might think of as generally affluent.

Stella:

There could still be pockets of meat.

Matthew:

There could be issues with food deserts, affordability for some families, maybe lack of knowledge about preparing fresh foods. It shows that just having health care nearby doesn't automatically solve nutritional challenges. It's more complex.

Stella:

That's a really crucial point. It's the whole ecosystem access, cost, education. So, wrapping up, the main message seems clear Scurvy is preventable. Awareness and simple dietary steps are powerful.

Matthew:

Absolutely, and maybe my final thought for you listening, is just to take an honest look at your family's diet Day-to-day, week-to-week. Are those vitamin C-rich foods consistently on the table? Are there lots of colors from fruits and veggies?

Stella:

A little self-audit.

Matthew:

Yeah, because often it's those small, regular choices that really prevent these kinds of deficiencies long term.

Stella:

Such a practical takeaway. Thank you so much for walking us through all this. It's been incredibly insightful.

Matthew:

My pleasure.

Stella:

And a big thank you to all of you listening to have More Babies for joining us. If you found this useful, please, please share it with other parents you know, let's get the word out. Awareness is key. Definitely, and make sure you subscribe or download the show so you don't miss our future deep dives. For more great resources on keeping kids healthy, do check out the Omega Pediatrics website. That's omegapediatricscom.

Matthew:

Goodbye everyone.

Stella:

Until next time, take care and goodbye.

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Michael Nwaneri, MD

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