9 SIGNS YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN C

Not getting enough vitamin C can be harmful to your health.

Vitamin C plays a key role in boosting your immune system.

Not getting enough can be quite harmful to your health and wellbeing.

Vitamin C plays a key role in boosting your immune system, but this essential vitamin also helps support collagen production, bone, and skin health, making it very important to be sure that you are getting enough in your diet.

Not getting enough vitamin C can actually be pretty harmful to your health if you aren't careful, 

You can bruise very easily

Bruise

                   

"This is usually one of the first signs of a vitamin C deficiency," said registered dietitian Chelsea Gold, MS, RD. Lack of vitamin C can weaken our blood vessels, causing the skin to easily bruise, she explained.



You can experience dry, rough bumpy skin.

skin bumps  

                   

"Vitamin C deficiency can lead to poor skin health,"  Studies show that having higher intakes of vitamin C increases your skin quality, she added.



You can have spoon-shaped nails.

Ridged nails  

                   

"Lack of vitamin C can leave you with very thin and brittle spoon-shaped nails due to the lack of collagen and protein development," Gold suggested.


You can become anemic  

                   

"If you feel fatigued all the time, this could be a sign of anemia secondary due to a lack of vitamin C," Gold said. Low levels of vitamin C may contribute to iron deficiency anemia, she explained, because it can reduce the absorption of iron from plant-based sources.


Your gums can start to bleed

                    

"Without adequate vitamin C, your gum tissues can become weakened and inflamed," Gold said. This causes you to bleed more easily.


Your wounds will heal poorly

                   

"Although typically not seen until the advanced stages of deficiency, we know that vitamin C deficiencies slow the rate of collagen formation in our bodies," Gold explained. Without it, wounds can heal very slowly, she added.

You may experience weight gain

                   

"Vitamin C plays a key role in energy production, so not having enough can negatively affect your metabolism," said registered dietitian Christy Brissette, MS, RD. Low blood levels of vitamin C are linked to higher body fat and larger waist circumference measurements, she added, though more research is needed to further explain that link.



You are feeling tired and moody all the time

                  

"Not getting enough vitamin C can impact your energy levels and your mood," Brissette said: Getting plenty of fruit and vegetables can help you feel less fatigued and boost your mood, she added.


You may experience nosebleeds

                   

"Vitamin C decreases the frailty of the capillaries in the nose, where 90% of all nosebleeds come from," said Dr. Luiza Petre, board-certified cardiologist and weight management specialist.


You can get enough vitamin C just by following a balanced diet.

                   

Though you may think you have to take a supplement to get the optimal amount of vitamin C, it actually can be fairly easily achieved simply by eating vitamin C-rich foods.



You'll want to be cautious of how you supplement vitamin C into your life

                  

"The best option is to get vitamin C via a personalized multivitamin that contains optimal amounts for you based on your diet, lifestyle, and health issues," said Arielle Levitan, MD, physician of internal medicine.

Taking too much vitamin C is also not recommended, as it can lead to negative effects such as Kidney stones,
Stomach ulcers, and more.