[Vitamin C deficiency in patients in a nursing home]

The Dutch Nutrition Council recommends an average daily intake of at least 50 mg of vitamin C. In a Dutch centre for nursing and rehabilitation this amount in the food as consumed by 272 patients and as served by the kitchen was calculated to be below 20 mg. About half of the patients consumed additional food - rich in vitamin C - each day either bought or acquired. Symptoms pertaining to the disease scorbut, were observed in a considerable number of these patients, but these may also be caused by other diseases. Patients completely dependent on food served by the central kitchen, had very low values of plasma vitamin C, in contrast to patients who used extra fruit each day. Centres for nursing and rehabilitation are recommended to serve 150 ml vitamin C-rich fruit juice each day, thereby combining the advantages of providing enough fluid intake and preventing obstipation.