Common Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
What are the most common nutritional deficiencies?
Are you getting all of the nutrients essential for good health?
If you aren’t, you’re not alone. The Standard American Diet makes it very difficult to get, and correctly absorb, all of the essential vitamins and minerals we need for our bodies to run optimally. While taking a multivitamin is a good first step, if you have certain deficiencies you may need additional supplements. The best way to check for deficiencies is to have some lab work done that will examine you blood levels of certain nutrients. This is the best way for your doctor to assess your levels and personalize a plan to make sure you are getting all of the nutrients essential to building good health!
Below are some of the most prominent vitamin deficiencies facing today’s average American. You may want to make an appointment with your doctor to check your blood levels if you are experiencing any long-term symptoms.
Vitamin D Deficiency
While there are several different theories out there as to what optimal levels of this vitamin should be, it is definitely crucial to your overall health. Vitamin D affects our body in so many ways, including our immune system, mental health and cardiovascular system. Most of us have lifestyles that prevent us from getting enough Vitamin D from the sun and it is estimated that close to half of adults in the U.S. are deficient in this vitamin. You can get Vitamin D in your diet from fatty fish and fortified dairy products, but it is difficult to consume adequate amounts.
Some of the major symptoms of Vitamin D include:
- Hair Loss
- Slow Wound Healing
- Low Bone Density, Bone Pain, and Bone Loss
- Chronic Fatigue
- Depression
- Low Immunity
- Muscle Pain
- Hormonal Imbalances
- High Blood Pressure
Magnesium Deficiency
Hypomagnesemia, or magnesium deficiency, is often overlooked. We would normally get an adequate amount in our diet, but due to modern farming practices less of it is in our foods due to poor quality soil and chemical processing practices. Medications, antacids, and diuretics can also affect the absorption of magnesium.
Some of the major symptoms of magnesium deficiency include:
- Osteoporosis
- Mental Disorders such as Depression and Anxiety
- Muscle Cramps or Weakness
- Fatigue
- Heart Arrhythmia or Irregular Heartbeat
Iron Deficiency
Iron is essential for our bodies ability to produce red blood cells. It creates hemoglobin which is a protein that helps cells carry oxygen around the body. In addition, it can help you maintain a healthy immune system! An iron deficiency can be caused by things such as diet, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), pregnancy, and blood loss.
Symptoms of iron deficiency include:
- Heart palpitations
- Damaged skin or hair
- Pale skin
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath and dizziness
Calcium Deficiency
Calcium is essential for bone health and the health of your every cell. You have more calcium in your body than any other mineral. This deficiency, also called hypocalcemia, is usually caused by medications affecting your blood levels or certain medical conditions and not diet alone. Women with amenorrhea or who are postmenopausal, and those on vegan diets are among the most likely candidates for calcium deficiency.
Symptoms of calcium deficiency are:
- Osteoporosis
- Dental Issues
- Numbness or tingling in legs and feet
- Irritability or Depression
- Brittle fingernails
- Muscle cramps
B12 Deficiency
Those most likely to have a vitamin B12 deficiency are those who are elderly, follow a vegan diet, have celiac or Crohn’s disease, who are on certain diabetes medications, or those taking antacids. B12 deficiency symptoms can take long periods of time to be noticeable and can go undiagnosed for long periods because of this. B12 is an essential vitamin that helps your body make red blood cells and affects your energy levels. One of the major issues with this vitamin is that certain people have difficulty absorbing it in supplement or dietary form, and therefore will have to seek alternative methods in order to maintain healthy levels of it in their systems.
Symptoms of B12 deficiency include:
- Vision Changes
- Shortness of Breath
- Inflamed Tongue or Mouth Ulcers
- Jaundice
- Anemia
- Fatigue or Dizziness
- Brain Fog
- Coordination Changes
- Pins and Needle Sensations
- Cognitive Difficulties
Iodine Deficiency
Iodine is essential for healthy thyroid function which affects things like brain development, bone loss, and metabolism. Those who are most likely to have an iodine deficiency are those who live in certain regions with low iodine in the soil, those who do not consume a lot of salt, those on a diet low in meat, and pregnant women.
Symptoms of iodine deficiency include:
- Enlarged thyroid gland
- Weight gain
- Dry, flaky skin
- Shortness of breath
- Increase in average heartrate
- Fatigue
