The 5 most common nutrient deficiencies and why they matter

In this article:

• Why care about possible nutrient deficiencies?
• Iron
• Iodine
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B-12
• Calcium
• Before you can fix a deficiency, you have to identify it

Takeaways:

• Nutrient deficiencies are so common, some of them affect 30% of the world’s population.
• Since these nutrients make many vital physical and mental functions possible, a deficiency can change your life for the worse.
• The first step to identifying a nutrient deficiency is getting lab tests done; after that, you can begin to correct the issue and regain normalcy.

Why care about possible nutrient deficiencies?

• Iron benefits - Iron is needed for oxygen transport throughout the body, and it’s important for maintaining healthy blood cells.
• How iron deficiency can happen - Your body can’t make iron on its own, so if you don’t eat enough iron-rich foods your body’s iron stores will gradually run out, causing a condition known as iron-deficiency anemia. This isn’t a modern disease by any means; it seems to have been a problem for as long as humans have existed.
• How much you need vs. how much you get - Adult men should be getting 8 mg of iron per day, and adult women need 18 mg (to compensate for blood loss during menstruation). Almost a third of the global population is iron-deficient, making low iron pretty much the most common vitamin or mineral deficiency in the world. This could be due to poverty, or just poor diet planning.
• Iron deficiency symptoms - Pale skin, lips, and gums, inability to concentrate, dizziness, breathlessness, fatigue, and sometimes even prematurely going gray.
• How to boost your iron levels - You can get iron from both foods and supplements; iron-rich foods include red meat, organ meats, shellfish, eggs, legumes, and leafy greens. Keep in mind, though, that the iron you get from animal foods is much more easily absorbed than what you’d get from plant foods.

• Iodine benefits - Your thyroid needs iodine in order to produce thyroid hormones T3 and T4, which control things like metabolism, heart rate, and the production of neurotransmitters.
• How iodine deficiency can happen - Historically, any population that couldn’t get enough seafood, sea salt, or dairy were at risk for widespread iodine deficiency; this is still quite common today.
• How much you need vs. how much you get - Adults need 150 mcg of iodine daily, but if you’re eating a diet that’s low in fish, seaweed, sea salt, or dairy products, you could easily be falling short.
• Iodine deficiency symptoms - Goiter (enlarged thyroid), unexplained weight gain, constant coldness, cognitive issues like brain fog, menstrual issues for women.
• How to boost your iodine levels - Boosting your iodine is as simple as increasing your intake of seafood, seaweed, sea salt, or dairy, or using iodized salt instead of regular table salt.

• Vitamin D benefits - This one is a real multitasker; it’s instrumental in the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and it’s linked to reduced inflammation and a strong immune system. In fact, vitamin D may even be able to reduce the severity of COVID-19.
• How vitamin D deficiency can happen - Interestingly, there are two ways to end up with low vitamin D. Either your diet could be deficient, or you could fail to get enough sunlight. This is because your body is able to synthesize this nutrient by simply catching some rays! Both now and in the past, anyone living in parts of the world with very little sunlight is at risk for a vitamin D deficiency.
• How much you need vs. how much you get - The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D for adults is 600 IU daily. It’s easy to get at least some of that from a balanced diet, but many people don’t - over a billion indivuduals are deficient.
• Vitamin D deficiency symptoms - Rickets in children, osteoporosis in adults, cardiovascular disease, and Type 1 diabetes. Low vitamin D can even cause weight gain due to hormonal imbalance.
• How to boost your vitamin D levels - Get more vitamin D from eggs, dairy, fish, shellfish, chicken, red meat, and organ meats, as well as sun exposure (always in moderation, of course!). Supplementation is an option too, but high doses of vitamin D supplements are known to be hard on the liver.

• Vitamin B-12 benefits - This vitamin is used by your body to make new red blood cells, nerves, and even DNA. It contributes to quick reflexes, mental clarity, and an overall good mood.
• How vitamin B-12 deficiency can happen - Anyone who doesn’t eat enough animal foods (such as vegans or vegetarians) is at-risk for developing a vitamin B-12 deficiency, as no plant foods contain this nutrient. Just like most other deficiencies, low B-12 has been found in any population with insufficient or poorly planned diets.
• How much you need vs. how much you get - Adults should get 2.4 micrograms of B-12 per day; anyone who doesn’t include enough animal products in their diet or supplement, however, is likely to come up short.
• Vitamin B-12 deficiency symptoms - Numbness or tingling, lack of coordination, weakness, inability to concentrate, fatigue, or anemia due to a low red blood cell count. 
• How to boost your vitamin B-12 levels - There are various types of B-12 supplements available, such as chewables, pills, sublingual drops, and shots. The most bioavailable form comes from food, though - red meat, chicken, shellfish, organ meats, eggs, and dairy products all contain B-12.

• Calcium benefits - Calcium is vital for teeth and bone health, timely nerve impulses, efficient blood circulation, and accurate reflexes.
• How calcium deficiency can happen - This deficiency is especially common in people who don’t have access to dairy products such as milk, cheese, or yogurt. Certain plant foods like broccoli, kale, and collard greens can also supply calcium, so populations with diets lacking in dairy or certain plants have always been at risk for calcium deficiency. Pregnancy can also deplete calcium stores, so women who’ve had children are at a higher risk. 
• How much you need vs. how much you get - Adults should get 1,000 mg of calcium each day, which is fairly easy with a diet plentiful in dairy products and specific vegetables. However, diets high in junk foods or low in animal foods could easily be calcium-deficient.
• Calcium deficiency symptoms - Muscle cramps, numbness or tingling, lethargy, brittle fingernails, irregular heart rate, tooth decay, or osteoporosis.
• How to boost your calcium levels - Add more dairy products, broccoli, kale, or collard greens (among other things) to your diet, or take a calcium supplement.

Before you can fix a deficiency, you have to identify it

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