Is it really bad to take shrimp or prawn with Vitamin C?
I just recieved this in my e-mail today. It warns that shrimp or prawn should not be taken together with Vitamin C. I’m not really sure whether this is true or not. I’m posting it on my blog so that:
- our blogger friends who are in the field of medicine/health may shed a light on this for the uninformed (like me)
- and if it’s true, then we all could at least be warned.
Again, this is posted here not to issue any false facts, but to share what has just been forwarded to me through e-mail, and perhaps give us all a chance to understand the truth behind the message.
Here’s the complete text of the e-mail:
YOU MAY POISON YOURSELF ACCIDENTALLY
Taiwan, a woman suddenly died unexpectedly with signs of bleeding from her ears, nose, mouth & eyes. After a preliminary autopsy it was diagnosed death due to arsenic poisoning death. Where did the arsenic come from?
The police launched an in-depth and extensive investigation. A medical school professor was invited to come to solve the case.
The professor carefully looked at the contents from the deceased’s stomach, in less than half an hour, the mystery was solved. The professor said: ‘The deceased did not commit suicide and neither was she murdered, she died of accidental death due to ignorance!’
Everyone was puzzled, why accidental death? The arsenic is of the U.S. military for carrying rice seedlings H Gao. The professor said: ‘The arsenic is produced in the stomach of the deceased.’ The deceased used to take ‘Vitamin C’ everyday, which in itself is not a problem.
The problem was that she ate a large portion of shrimp/prawn during dinner. Eating shrimp/prawn is not the problem that’s why nothing happened to her family ever though they took the same shrimp/prawn.
However at the same time the deceased also took ‘vitamin C’, that is where the problem is!
Researchers at the University of Chicago in the United States,found through experiments, food such as soft-shell shrimp/prawn contains a much higher concentration of – five potassium arsenic compounds.
Such fresh food by itself has no toxic effects on the human body! However, in taking ‘vitamin C’, due to the chemical reaction, the original non-toxic – five potassium arsenic (As anhydride, also known as arsenic oxide, the chemical formula for As205) changed to a three potassium toxic arsenic (ADB arsenic anhydride), also known as arsenic trioxide, a chemical formula (As203), which is commonly known as arsenic to the public!
Arsenic poisoning have magma role and can cause paralysis to the small blood vessels, “mercapto Jimei”??, inhibits the activity of the liver and fat necrosis change Hepatic Lobules Centre, heart, liver, kidney, intestine congestion, epithelial cell necrosis, telangiectasia. Therefore, a person who dies of arsenic poisoning will shows signs of bleeding from the ears, nose, mouth & eyes.
Therefore; as a precautionary measure, DO NOT not take shrimp/prawn when taking ‘vitamin C’.
I really hope somebody could shed a light on this.
Thank you.
Tags: accident, email, Food, forwarded, Health, mysterious death, prawn, precaution, shrimp, vitamin C, warning
Hi Roy,
I am not a specialist in nutrition so I used the power of the web to look for the answer.
Here are several sources that were found by Mr G (ooooogle)
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/v/vitaminshrimp.htm
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/shrimp.asp
Basically, both sites would argue to the false information that eating shrimps or prawns with a regular intake of vitamin C would cause arsenic poisoning.
Interesting read.
Z
Unless you are allergic to shrimps in the first place, then avoid eating them.
Zorlone’s last blog post..Shy Guitar
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lol!
nice note on the allergies Doc Z
thanks for the info!
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Vitamin C and like antacids sometimes, inhibits the absorption of some drugs like iron. There are food that just don’t go together; like milk and vinegar, so you must read the drug label properly and follow your doctor’s order.
Jena Isle’s last blog post..“Go Home Yankees!” (Another Boy Story – A Replay)
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grannies used to tell us not eat different kind of fruits at the same time. but we ate halo-halo.
as to shrimps, i miss my wife’s cooking!
novz’s last blog post..Two Sentence Stories
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This is to clarify one of the comments left behind.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) actually INCREASES the absorption of iron and fiber (ie. phytates) actually inhibits the absorption of iron. Therefore, taking Vitamin C with iron will boost the absorption rate to about 30%, which is particularly important for those consuming a vegetarian diet. But yes, some components do block the absorption of others.
Thanks for reading.
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I find this story intersting, quite attractive to read. what is wrong with it though is this, the symproms of arsencic poisoning have got nothing to do with bleading. also the minimal lethal dose for humans which is about 70 -200mg can not even be accumulated in 1kg of prawns. the conditioins required for converting elemental arsenic to the lethal toxic form also is the human body is not too cleare. i think this is a hoax
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i thought arsenic is a basic element in the periodic table. if it is, then it cannot come out of a chemical reaction from vitamin c and shrimp… hmmm. i smell fish, though.
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