Signs Of Vitamin Deficiency

Vitamins are necessary for the normal functioning of all body systems, so their deficiency greatly affects the state of human health. You need to know the signs of vitamin deficiency in order to eliminate it in time.

Vitamins are necessary for the normal functioning of all body systems, so their lack greatly affects the state of human health. You need to know the signs of vitamin deficiency in order to eliminate it in time.

Lack of vitamins can manifest itself in two variants - hypovitaminosis and avitaminosis. The first option is a reduced content of vitamins in the body, the second is the complete absence of one or another vitamin in the body. Symptoms of vitamin deficiency depend on which vitamin is lacking. However, there are general signs of vitamin deficiency. These include general weakness, fatigue, decreased appetite, and impairment of working capacity.

Causes of vitamin deficiency

The cause of vitamin deficiency can be improper nutrition. For example, the lack of fruits, berries and vegetables in the diet leads to a deficiency of vitamins P and C in the body, when consuming refined products (products made from high-grade flour, refined rice), the body receives little nicotinic acid, vitamins B1, B2. A long-term deficiency of complete proteins in the body is accompanied by a deficiency of vitamins A, C, B2, nicotinic and folic acids. A sharp decrease in the intake of fats in the body causes a decrease in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) from the intestine. With excessive consumption of carbohydrates, vitamin B1 deficiency develops.

Also, the reason for the appearance of signs of vitamin deficiency and hypovitaminosis in the winter-spring period is a significant decrease in the amount of vitamin C in fruits and vegetables, vitamins A, D in eggs and dairy products.

A common cause of insufficient intake of vitamins in the body is a violation of the rules of culinary processing and storage of products. For example, cold and heat processing of vegetables is accompanied by complete destruction of vitamin C.

Signs of vitamin deficiency can be accompanied by various diseases, primarily of the digestive system.

Long-term use of some medicines (anti-tuberculosis drugs, sulfonamides, antibiotics) can cause a lack of vitamins in the body.

Signs of vitamin deficiency A

Lack of vitamin A is accompanied by a violation of the processes of maintaining the normal state of epithelial cells. This is expressed in the appearance of dryness, fine peeling of the skin, transverse striation of the nails, dryness and brittleness of the hair. Erosions on the mucous membranes, conjunctivitis, blepharitis and stomatitis may also occur. The production of gastric juice decreases, which is accompanied by a violation of digestion and absorption of food. Vitamin A is characterized by twilight vision impairment (the so-called "chicken blindness"), in which the ability to see in the dark becomes difficult or lost. Xerophthalmia can also develop - dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of ​​the eye as a result of impaired tear production.

Signs of vitamin deficiency B

Vitamin B1 causes Beri-Beri disease. This condition usually occurs in people who eat only white rice. In modern society, this disease is rare. Vitamin B1 ensures the normal flow of fat and carbohydrate metabolism, so its deficiency leads to the accumulation of pyruvic acid in human blood. This causes damage to the nervous system ("dry beriberi") and the cardiovascular system ("wet beriberi"). Characteristic symptoms of vitamin B1 deficiency: loss of appetite, tendency to constipation, nausea, paresthesias (tingling, numbness) in the legs, pain in the calf muscles while walking, sleep disturbances, irritability, decreased sensitivity in the area of ​​the feet and lower legs.

Deficiency of vitamin B2 is accompanied by damage to the mucous membrane, as well as the skin of the lips. Long unhealed cracks of the lips, stomatitis are characteristic. The main reason for the lack of this vitamin is the lack of dairy products in the diet.

Avitaminosis B3 (or PP) causes the development of pellagra, which is manifested by inflammatory skin diseases, dementia. The following signs are characteristic: aggressiveness, sensitivity of the skin to sunlight, dermatitis, baldness, edema, inflammation of the tongue, insomnia, confusion, weakness, paralysis of the limbs, neuritis, heart damage, dementia.

Avitaminosis B5 is characterized by pain in the joints, cramps in the limbs, hair loss, paralysis, weakening of memory and vision.

Vitamin B6 deficiency is accompanied by headaches, fatigue, dermatitis and other skin diseases, impaired appetite, memory, attention, development of anemia, damage to blood vessels.

Lack of vitamin B7 is manifested by skin lesions, loss of appetite, nausea, swelling of the tongue, muscle pain, lethargy, depression.

Deficiency of vitamin B9 causes the development of folate-deficiency anemia, as well as disorders in the development of the spinal tube in the embryo.

Avitaminosis B12 provokes the occurrence of pernicious anemia.

Signs of vitamin deficiency S

If there is not enough vitamin C in the diet for a long time, then rapid fatigue, weakness, pain in various parts of the body, tendency to bleeding, loose gums, caries occur. An acute lack of vitamin C leads to the development of scurvy, which is characterized by the fragility of blood vessels with the appearance of bleeding gums and hemorrhages on the skin. A decrease in immunity is also noted.

Signs of vitamin D deficiency

In the human body, vitamin D is involved in the regulation of exchange processes of phosphorus and calcium, which is of great importance for the processes of growth and development of teeth in children. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in adults: rapid fatigue, poor sleep, bone pain, muscle pain. Caries also develops, eyesight decreases, appetite disappears, and body weight decreases. In children, the lack of vitamin D is accompanied by the development of rickets. Signs of rickets are slow growth of teeth, slow growth of the fontanel, deformation of the limbs, the size of the abdomen may increase. The child is capricious, may lag behind in physical and mental development.