UPSC NDA I 2014 General Ability Paper

Scurvy is a disease caused by a diet that lacks vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Patients develop anemi, debility, exhaustion, edema (swelling) in some parts of the body, and sometimes ulceration of the gums and loss of teeth. Humans cannot synthesize vitamin C, which is necessary for the production of collagen and iron absorption. We have to obtain it from external sources, i.e. from fruits and vegetables.