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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, so INSIDER spoke to some dietitians and physicians about all those warning signs you'll want to be on the lookout for.
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"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.
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"Vitamin C deficiency can lead to poor skin health," Gold told INSIDER. Studies show that having higher intakes of vitamin C increases your skin quality, she added.
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"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.
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"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.
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"Without adequate vitamin C, your gum tissues can become weakened and inflamed," Gold said. This causes you to bleed more easily, she told INSIDER.
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"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.
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"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.
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"Not getting enough vitamin C can impact your energy levels and your mood," Brissette told INSIDER. Getting plenty of fruit and vegetables can help you feel less fatigued and boost your mood, she added.
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"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.
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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 .
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"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, she told INSIDER, as it can lead to negative effects such as kidney stones, stomach ulcers, and more.
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