When vitamin C intake is too low for too long, it can start to show up in the muscles and joints as deep, aching pain and stiffness rather than just “simple” fatigue. Vitamin C is essential for building and maintaining healthy collagen in cartilage, tendons, and bone, so deficiency can cause bone tenderness, joint pain, and, in children, impaired growth and skeletal deformities similar to rickets or scurvy. In more advanced cases, people may notice difficulty walking, painful swelling around joints, and slower recovery from everyday strains or minor injuries because the connective tissues simply cannot repair and mineralize properly without adequate vitamin C. This medication is commonly used for Pain Management.
Mangano KM, Noel SE, Dawson-Hughes B, Tucker KL. Sufficient Plasma Vitamin C Is Related to Greater Bone Mineral Density among Postmenopausal Women from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. J Nutr. 2021 Dec 3;151(12):3764-3772. Kim YA, Kim KM, Lim S, Choi SH, Moon JH, Kim JH, Kim SW, Jang HC, Shin CS. Favorable effect of dietary vitamin C on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women (KNHANES IV, 2009): discrepancies regarding skeletal sites, age, and vitamin D status. Osteoporos Int. 2015 Sep;26(9):2329-37. Ratajczak AE, Szymczak-Tomczak A, Skrzypczak-Zielińska M, Rychter AM, Zawada A, Dobrowolska A, Krela-Kaźmierczak I. Vitamin C Deficiency and the Risk of Osteoporosis in Patients with an Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Nutrients. 2020 Jul 29;12(8):2263. Souza M, Moraes SAS, de Paula DR, Maciel AA, Batista EJO, Silva DGF, Bahia CP, Oliveira KRHM, Herculano AM. Local treatment with ascorbic acid accelerates recovery of post-sutured Achilles tendon in male Wistar rats. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2019;52(9):e8290.
Some side effects may be linked to nutrient depletion caused by this medication.
Indomethacin, a medication commonly used to treat inflammation and pain, can decrease the absorption of vitamin C. Vitamin C plays a vital role in immune function and the body's antioxidant defenses. To counteract this effect and maintain a healthy immune system and antioxidant capacity, vitamin C supplementation is recommended for individuals taking Indomethacin.
Studies suggest that indomethacin, a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), might decrease calcium levels in the body. To prevent potential calcium deficiency, supplementation should be considered for individuals taking indomethacin on a long-term basis.