A UK-wide study led by researchers at Ulster University has found that almost one in five people are not getting their optimal amount of vitamin C per day. Nearly 10% – 6.99 million – are consuming less than 25mg, which is considered too low and equates to around a third of an orange per day.
Groups most at risk
Most concerningly, almost one in 100 – nearly 700,000 people – are at risk of deficiency, with intakes below the equivalent of an eighth of an orange per day, or less than one orange per week. Older men and teenage girls were the groups most at risk of low vitamin C intakes, highlighting the need for targeted dietary strategies.
Fruit juice as a solution
Dr Maeve Kerr and Dr Alyson Hill, who led the study, said: “Achieving the recommended five-a-day is difficult for many people; this research has shown that 100% fruit juice is a convenient and accessible source of vitamin C.”
Vitamin C is essential for normal immune function and for supporting skin health, collagen formation, and wound healing. In rare cases, severe deficiency can lead to scurvy, with symptoms including joint and muscle pain, fatigue, swollen and bleeding gums, and developing red or blue spots on the skin.
Re-emergence of scurvy
Doctors writing in the BMJ Case Reports journal in 2024 warned that scurvy, most widely associated with 16th and 17th-century sailors, may be “re-emerging” amid the cost-of-living crisis and the rise in weight-loss (bariatric) surgery.
Impact of daily fruit juice
The new study explored how fruit juice could affect vitamin C intake and found that increasing the number of people drinking a daily 150ml glass of fruit juice would have the greatest impact on vitamin C intake. Currently, 100% fruit juice contributes around 25% of vitamin C intake in UK adults’ diets – similar to the amount provided by whole fruit and cooked vegetables.
On average, consumers drink around 100-130ml per day, suggesting that even modest adjustments could help more people meet optimal vitamin C intake. The research also highlights that reducing fruit juice consumption has a minimal effect on overall sugar intake, as most sugar in the UK diet comes from other sources such as soft drinks, biscuits, cakes and sweets, according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey.
