How Do You Know if You Are Lacking Vitamins?
Our expert: Olga Polikina, General Practitioner
Vitamins are one of the only substances that we can get externally, as they are not synthesized by our bodies. Even if you have the best possible diet, it is virtually impossible to get all the needed vitamins from food alone. A chronic deficiency in vitamins can compromise your quality of life and have a negative impact on the state of your health.
- Deficiency in B group vitamins can lead to skin and hair problems, issues with your liver and metabolism, and eyesight deterioration.
- Deficiency in vitamin C is the cause of bleeding gums and frequent nosebleeds.
- If you are deficient in vitamin D, you might be prone to bone fractures and low immunity.
- Deficiency in vitamin E is the cause of neuromuscular disorders, myopathy, and anemia.
To avoid these health problems, it is important to get needed vitamins on a regular basis. Experts suggest checking the level of vitamins D, B12, and B9 (folic acid). Here are the warning signs to watch out for, and have a medical test if needed:
- Non-healing mouth cracks and ulcers that don’t go away (especially in the corners of the lips),
- Dryness and irritated skin,
- Pimples and acne,
- sensitive and bleeding gums,
- brittle nails, spots, lines, and ridges on nails,
- visible hair loss, dandruff, head itching,
- eyesight deterioration, redness, swelling and itching of the eyelids, frequent conjunctivitis,
- swelling of limbs and face in the mornings for no obvious reason,
- muscle and joint pain, numbness,
- having chills,
- sleep disorders,
- loss of focus, weakness, and fatigue during the day,
- irritability, apathy, and depression,
- loss of appetite and losing weight without changing eating habits,
- diarrhea or constipation,
- gaining weight without changing eating habits,
- frequent colds.
Do you have some or all of the above? Don’t take it as proof of vitamin deficiency just yet. The next step is to check your levels of the most important vitamins and minerals to evaluate the deficit. This helps you and your doctor understand how to compensate for it and how long you should take certain additives.
If medical tests show a deficiency in some vitamins, your doctor will prescribe food additives and dosages. Self-medicating is useless — and sometimes even dangerous, as in some situations vitamins can be contraindicated. You can find optimal levels for each vitamin in our application.
