Sjögren's Syndrome in Scurvy
May 1970
in “
New England Journal of Medicine
”
TLDR Scurvy may cause symptoms similar to Sjögren's syndrome, which disappear with vitamin C.
In a study from 1970, five men were deprived of ascorbic acid until they developed scurvy, during which two exhibited Sjögren's syndrome, and three developed keratoconjunctivitis sicca. All participants showed symptoms of the sicca syndrome, such as dry skin, excessive hair loss, and dental issues. These symptoms emerged alongside clinical signs of scurvy, with no other deficiencies present. Upon repletion with ascorbic acid, both scurvy and Sjögren's syndrome symptoms disappeared, suggesting a link between scurvy and Sjögren's syndrome.
