A new study conducted by Danish scientists has found that vitamin C-deficient babies may be at a higher risk for mental development and memory problems.

A team of researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen showed that guinea pigs with moderate vitamin C deficiency develop 30 percent fewer hippocampal neurons and have significantly worse spatial memory than animals fed a normal diet.

The choice of animals was dictated by the fact that guinea pigs, like human beings, are dependent on getting vitamin C through their diet.

“[Our research suggests] children [may develop] learning disabilities because they have not gotten enough vitamin C in their early life,” says Professor Jens Lykkesfeldt, who led the research group.

“This is unbearable when it would be so easy to prevent this deficiency by giving a vitamin supplement to high-risk pregnant women and new mothers,” he adds.

Vitamin C is also a known antioxidant and is believed to boost immunity and lower the risk of infections such as seasonal flu, so those concerned about their intake may turn to nutritional supplements.