Vitamin Deficiency is a condition that occurs when your body doesn’t have enough vitamins necessary to produce sufficient amounts of RBCs (Red Blood Cells) in the human body, which are essential for carrying oxygen from the lungs to all over your body.
Common symptoms –
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Irregular heartbeats
- Pale skin
- Shortness of breath
- Numbness in hand and feet
- unsteady movements
- mental confusion
- forgetfullness
- weight loss
The 3 most common Vitamins that are found to be missing in a lot of our diets, resulting in deficiencies. These are –
- Folate (Vitamin B9) –
Did you even know that B9 was known as Folate?. Folate is a nutrient found largely in fruits and leafy green vegetables such as Spinach, Kale etc. One of the main reasons that it may not be absorbed is because of diseases in the small intestine, such as coeliac disease, or if it has been surgically removed altogether.
Additionally alcohol and anti-seizure medications can also mean you don’t get as much as you need.
- Vitamin B12 – This vitamin is found mostly in meat, eggs and milk, which means that if you’re a hardcore vegan you’re going to have problems absorbing this. It can also happen because of issues with the small intestine.
The most common cause, however, is a lack of intrinsic factor – a protein meant to escort B12 through the small intestine for absorption – which means it leaves the body as waste.
- Vitamin C – Easily found in citrus fruits like lemon and orange. Smoking reduce the body’s ability to absorb this nutrient and further worsen the condition. Deficiency of Vitamin C can cause Scurvy, and lead to bleeding gums and slow recovery of cuts and bruises.
Here’s a list of certain activities and causes that hamper the body’s ability to absorb vitamins. –
- A Diet low in fat content reduces the body’s ability to absorb Vitamin E. Include olive oil, dry fruits, nut butters etc in your diet.
- Alcohol consumption has an impact on folic acid levels.
- Certain Medications can also cause vitamin deficiencies.
- Certain antibiotics such as isoniazid can cause B6 deficiency.
The best way to ensure that you’re healthy is by following a balanced diet that has enough amounts of Vitamins and Minerals and isn’t lacking in any of the above mentioned elements.
In case of exceptions or people whose diet has restrictions such as vegans or vegetarians, it is necessary to supplement your diet with external supplements and multivitamins (especially for athletes and people participating in performance sports) so that your body is adequately fuelled to grow and repair in a healthy manner. Email – dr.vimalrai@gmail.com or Call +91-9425262556 to know more.