Pirates aren't the only ones worried about scurvy. One ASU professor has researched all areas of vitamin C, including the deficiency, which causes the disease.
Carol Johnston, the chair of the ASU Department of Nutrition and a registered dietician, is gearing up to conduct research next month on whether an increase in vitamin C could lead to an increase in fat burning.
Johnston published a study in July that showed vitamin C is related to body mass index and waist circumference and can have a positive impact on weight loss.
Johnston is currently recruiting for a new study to take place in November on vitamin C's effects on fat burning during aerobic exercise, Johnston said.
Johnston has been doing research on vitamin C for almost 30 years and said about 13 percent of ASU students could have vitamin C deficiency.
"I started in 1980 as a graduate student," she said. "Back when I was a graduate student, [vitamin C research] was centered around how vitamin C enhanced the immune system."
While at ASU, Johnston has published five studies on vitamin C.
The vitamin C deficiency afflicting more than one in 10 college students is a form of scurvy that can become serious, Johnston said.
Scurvy is a medical condition that results from lack of vitamin C and involves general weakness, a lower than normal number of red blood cells, gum disease, and purple-colored spots and patches that occur on the skin, organs and in mucous membranes, including the lining of the mouth, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
"The main source of vitamin C in the American diet is orange juice," Johnston said.
Johnston found in her 2002 research that orange juice labels can misrepresent the amount of vitamin C, since the vitamin oxidizes and is reduced over time.
Supplements are a better way to get vitamin C, because the amount of vitamin C remains constant, Johnston said.
Business junior Megan Beavers said she gets most of her vitamin C in her daily diet from orange juice, though getting it isn't a big concern for her.
"I didn't even know how much vitamin C was in [orange juice]," Beavers said.
Political science junior Jessica Woods said vitamin C isn't an issue at the top of her mind. She added that it's beneficial for products to advertise their vitamin C content.
Secondary education junior Josh Perkins said he thought the health-effects of vitamin C had been well established. Research into the link between vitamin C and fat burning is interesting, he said.
"Of course vitamin C is important," Perkins said. "You have to have a certain level of all vitamins."
Johnston said she hopes her research next month will help people better understand vitamin C's role in burning fat.
"In this particular case, we're definitely looking at losing body fat," Johnston said.
Reach the reporter at: mculber@asu.edu.
