on PinterestReports of people developing scurvy while taking GLP-1 medications are on the rise.
on PinterestReports of people developing scurvy while taking GLP-1 medications are on the rise. Milles Team/Shutterstock
- Reports of GLP-1 users developing scurvy have increased in recent months.
- GLP-1 drugs can lead to malnutrition since they reduce appetite and food consumption.
- People may also consume fewer vitamin C-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
- Proper meal planning and supplementation can help prevent scurvy.
Maybe you’ve been using a GLP-1 medication for a while now, and you’ve started to notice that your gums are bleeding a bit, or you seem to be bruising more easily than usual? Could the drug be related to these unusual symptoms?
It turns out that more and more people using these drugs are being diagnosed with scurvy, a severe deficiency of vitamin C.
You might know scurvy as an 18th-century illness associated with long sea voyages, when fresh fruits and vegetables were in short supply. So, why is a disease associated with pirates and sailors now making a comeback in a time when these foods are readily available?
The answer, experts say, has less to do with the medications themselves and more to do with what happens when appetite and consumption of certain foods fall dramatically.
Here’s what’s known about the connection and how to protect yourself while staying on track with treatment.
GLP-1 use is often an overlooked cause of malnutrition
In an opinion published in the BMJ on July 21, 2025, Ellen Fallows noted the risks of prescribing GLP-1 medications to patients who already consume nutrient-poor diets, highlighting that malnutrition cases are already being reported in the U.S.
Fallows additionally pointed out that, although obesity is often thought of as a case of being “over-nourished,” the opposite is frequently true, with muscle wasting and nutrient deficiencies being just as common in these individuals as in those who are underweight.
When an already unhealthy diet is combined with caloric restriction, it can exacerbate the problem.
Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and nutrient deficiencies caused by common diabetes medications, such as metformin, can also contribute to malnutrition, she said.
According to Fallows, GLP-1 use is not just linked to vitamin C deficiency. It has been associated with severe thiamine and magnesium deficiencies, among several others.
However, a lack of awareness of this issue is likely leading to both underdetection and under-reporting of malnutrition, she wrote, which may lead to less favorable patient outcomes.
“Good quality wraparound care for patients taking GLP-1 agonists must go further than simple ‘dietary advice’ as recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence,” she advised. “It must include assessment of nutritional status before treatment to identify patients with malnutrition whose risks may only be mitigated with additional support.”
Why scurvy may occur when using a GLP-1 medications
Fiorella DiCarlo, RDN, CDN, of FiorellaEatsTV, told Healthline that GLP-1s slow gastric emptying and motility, which causes people to feel full and lose their appetite. However, they may end up not eating enough to properly nourish their bodies.
“Some people end up eating 600-1000 calories per day without realizing it and thereby undereating vital nutrients and vitamins,” she said, explaining that this
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