Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the body. While not as common as it once was, it can still occur in individuals with nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin C cannot be synthesized in our bodies; therefore, it must be obtained through diet. Vitamin C absorbed from food is found in all tissues, with the highest concentrations in glandular tissues and the lowest in muscle and fat. When blood and tissue levels of vitamin C are high, excess is excreted via the kidneys. The total amount is approximately 1500 milligrams. A diet deficient in vitamin C for at least three months, resulting in body levels falling below 350 milligrams, can lead to the development of scurvy. Vitamin C scavenges free radicals, which are byproducts of biochemical reactions in our cells that are harmful to the organism. Thus, it eliminates the damaging effects of these chemical wastes, known as oxidation, on DNA and proteins. Because of its important role in collagen synthesis, a deficiency leads to structural abnormalities in collagen-containing tissues such as skin, cartilage, bone, teeth, and blood vessel walls. Gingival bleeding occurs. It participates in the production of certain hormones, and by increasing iron absorption from the digestive system, it raises hemoglobin levels in the blood.