>And while I'm at it, another possibility is that the
>C-less mutations were forced to seek out new sources
>of vitamin C, serving two purposes. It would have
>"segregated" (isolated) them from their synthsizing
>relatives, and it would have caused them to compete
>with other species that ate vitamin C rich foods. This
>in itself could have accelerated their evolution.

An article in Medical Hypotheses some years ago
proposed somthing along these lines, namely that
the huge free radical buildup resulting from a
near-scurvy existence encouraged large numbers
of mutations. The rapid DNA alterations in primates
led to high adaptability and "forking" of the
genetic lines. Possibly the very existence
of H. sapiens resulted from the "fortuitous" disabling
of the GLO gene. Of course, Man's chronic misery
over the eons due to this loss was the price to
be paid.

That said, there's no reason not to correct this
situation, now that humans have the knowledge to
do so easily and cheaply. I am otherwise paleo WOE.


For more on the state of ascorbate synthesis, see:

The Natural History of Ascorbic Acid in the Evolution
of the Mammals and Primates and Its Significance for
Present Day Man: Stone, Orthomolecular Psychiatry, 1972

http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/197x/index.htm#Stone-1972

...but then if you're not into science, you can chalk
the whole thing up to an executive decision by God.