Why we don’t need Vitamin C to prevent and reverse Scurvy.

This is the Wikipedia opening statement on Scurvy -

“Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans.”

I believe this statement is false.

Scurvy is caused by deficiencies in two components essential for the production of collagen, these are hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid - AA) is simply a co-factor that enables the oxidation of the amino acids lysine and proline to produce hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline, which then enable collagen to be formed, the key to scurvy prevention.

However, there are a number of accounts that demonstrate that scurvy is also prevented and reversed. Vilhjalmur Stefansson gives a good example, but even he concluded that meats must contain AA. The USDA DB consistently reports 0mg of VC in meats. If there is any then it is only trace amounts and I’d argue inadequate to prevent and reverse scurvy.

I have not been able to find any reliable sources that show that fresh meat contains appropriate portions of hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline, but without AA present and no Scurvy then I deduce that these must be present in fresh meat in appreciable quantities - I suspect no one is testing for them.

It is also interesting to note that most animals can convert glucose to AA - the molecules are very similar. Humans cannot do this. I suspect the reason is that we can’t do it is because we don’t need AA (Vitamin C) since we evolved based on a carnivorous state - animal meats give us all the hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline we need.

One of the other reasons we are advised to consume V-C is that it is a powerful anti-oxidant. I very strongly suspect that the current stress on having anti-oxidants is because of the toxic SAD diet. I understand fructose is a significant source of inflammation, some 10 times more reactive than the next main inflammatory cause - glucose. Add those to the over-abundance of omega-6 (another primary inflammatory agent), from vegetable oils, margarine, etc, and we see why anti-oxidants become necessary. Remove all these agents of disease and the need for anti-oxidants goes away.

On a primarily carnivorous diet Vitamin C is not needed. I am a Zero Carber.

I agree. The fact that we don't get scurvy speaks for itself. I think it's like beta carotene vs vitamin A. We don't need vitamin C if we're getting and absorbing preformed hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline.

RawNut,

Thanks - I was hoping to find support.

I found this site that lists Hydroxyproline, I think from the USDA DB - I recognize their category styles.

http://nutrient.javalime.com/nutrient.php/521

But no mention of Hydroxylysine as a candidate for a search under the list of searchable amino acids. Curious!

I'm surprised that they'd have one at all but It's odd that they would have one without the other.

I just had an Epiphany! Humans produce elastase in the pancreas, which is used to break down collagen. If we do break down hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine into vitamin C, proline and lysine, it would explain why we do get scurvy when adding rice or wheat to an all meat diet. The grains would add more proline and lysine without vitamin C. Our bodies would then have a disproportionate amount of the amino acids to vitamin C needed to resynthesizes the hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine. Thoughts?