Vitamin C contributing to the more severe symptoms of scurvy. More generally, the biochemical role of vitamin C is to act as an antioxidant (a reducing agent) by donating electrons to various enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. Doing so converts vitamin C to an oxidized state - either as semidehydroascorbic acid or dehydroascorbic acid. These compounds can be restored to a reduced state by glutathione and NADPH-dependent enzymatic mechanisms. In plants, vitamin C is a substrate for ascorbate peroxidase. This enzyme utilizes ascorbate to neutralize toxic hydrogen peroxide (HO) by converting it to water (HO). Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency in Australia deformities, hypocalcemia, tetany and seizures. During the late 19th century autopsies conducted in the Netherlands concluded that 80-90% of children were suffering from Rickets. The incidents of rickets observed within Sydney hospitals during the years of 2003 – 2004 have doubled. This major spike can be attributed to the growing population of migrants in Australia, many of whom are considered high risk of vitamin D deficiency. As shown in the image the skeletal deformities such as knock knees and bow legs in these young children as a result of rickets. Because of the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, conditions