On Thu, 2 Aug 2001 15:32:59 +0200, Paul Sand <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>BTW, for a few months my C intake from food is very low and I stopped
taking
>C supplements and nothing happens. So my question:
>what are most reliable signs of C deficiency? Are there any reliable tests
>to find out ?
>With so many other antioxidants (A,E) why we care that much about C?

C is more than just a antioxidant. As antioxidant it enhances E and A
and itself is water soluble while E and A are not.
C plays a role in energy derivation from food, but maybe this part can be
replaced by other molecules. I didn't read anything exact about this.
Particularly unique seem it's tasks in the imune system, it accumulates in
white blood cells.

10mg per day are the borderline to scurvy.
At low supply the body accumulates a storage of 300mg - 30 days.
At higher supply the storage goes up to 4-6 months.
Enough for one winter.

Below the borderline to scurvy, scurvy will emerge after storage is empty.
First the mucosa will deteriorate, particularly the gums.
Early sailors lost the teeth after a while.
Explorers managed to survive months on meat/fat alone by storage and by the
little vitamin C that is found in big amounts of meat.

I suggest to eat some black currant or rose hips.

Amadeus