>> ...The
>> assertion that the Eskimos had more of a problem with vit. C than ketosis is
>> supported by the fact that they suffered from hemorrhaging and nose bleeds,
>> a symptom of vit. C deficiency.
>
>In a way, these are two aspects of the same problem.  One of the
>things that vitamin C does is to scavenge free radicals.  If the
>diet of the Inuit caused high levels of free radicals then they
>would indeed need more free-radical scavengers than another
>person might.  All this assumes, of course, that the free radical
>theory of aging is correct.

The free-radical argument and the antioxidant properties
of ascorbate have been tossed around for some time now. Neither
really covers what the discoverer of the ascorbate molecule,
Albert Szent-Györgyi, believed about this unusual molecule,
which he believed is "active at the very basis of life itself."

Check out the following URL to for a review:

http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/197x/enloe-cf-nutr_today-1979-v14-n5-p6.htm

NB to Troy G: I would never contradict the partner behind
NeanderThin, but as far as the Inuit's diet being perfect
Paleo, I'd say that in some restricted sense that may be
so, at least as "Paleo" WOE is defined. But one cannot
ignore the significant health problems experienced by that
population even before significant Westernization of their
WOL & WOE. Even the intro of the hunting rifle could
have skewed a careful balance of physical activity and diet
that probably existed for millenia. Oops! My off-topic
alarm went off.