How long until scurvy?

trocadero · Oct 28, 2009

If you ate nothing but rice, how long would it take for scurvy to become apparent? Or other vitamin deficiencies?

Thanks

PeterL · Oct 28, 2009

Probably three months. I suspect that there would be considerable individual variation.
http://dermnetnz.org/systemic/scurvy.html

Tsu Dho Nimh · Oct 31, 2009

trocadero said:
If you ate nothing but rice, how long would it take for scurvy to become apparent? Or other vitamin deficiencies?
Thanks

it will be a race between the scurvy and (if white rice), the beri-beri (thiamin deficiency)

Assuming you start as a well-nourished person, scurvy's first symptoms start to show in a few weeks. It was the limiting factor in long ship voyages for centuries.

trocadero · Oct 31, 2009

Thanks everyone. I'll look up beri-beri now. My poor characters.

Evaine · Nov 1, 2009

You could also look up about prisoners of war during the Second World War who were in the hands of the Japanese. Many of them had to survive on a diet of white rice (and not much of it).

How long until scurvy?

trocadero

PeterL

Tsu Dho Nimh

trocadero

Evaine