Vitamin deficiencies are diseases caused by insufficient intake of vitamins. Most vitamin deficiencies have no symptoms, and their effects on the body are not immediate. As a result, people often do not realize they have a deficiency until substantial damage has occurred.
Vitamin deficiency is the most common nutrient disorder in the United States. It’s due to diets high in processed foods, low in nutrients, and high in unhealthy fats. In the latest survey, more than half of adults and children didn’t meet the recommended intakes for vitamins A, C, D, E, and calcium. Vitamin deficiency can lead to many health problems.
Generally, vitamin deficiencies are caused by a lack of nutrients in the diet. They’re usually easily corrected by eating a more varied diet, but in some cases, they can contribute to serious health problems. Even though vitamin deficiency symptoms are often overlooked, they can greatly impact your day-to-day life and how you feel about yourself.
Let’s look at some of the most common signs of vitamin deficiency.
Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common physical symptoms of a vitamin deficiency. Fatigue is often one of the first things people notice as a sign of something wrong with their health. This is because our bodies use vitamins to convert food into energy, so if we are not getting enough vitamins and minerals from our diet, the way we feel will be affected. A lack of certain vitamins can even affect one’s mood and mental state. This can make it difficult to get through your day and concentrate on work or other activities that require you to be alert and focused.
Many different factors can cause fatigue. For example, you could be physically exhausted from too little sleep or stress at work (or home). However, if you’ve been sleeping well and getting plenty of exercise, fatigue could indicate that you’re not eating enough nutrient-rich foods or have an underlying diet-based condition such as celiac disease or candida overgrowth.
When you eat food that contains nutrients, your body breaks them down into their parts (vitamins and minerals). These are absorbed by your intestines and transported through your bloodstream and to the organs. If a tissue does not receive enough nutrients, it cannot produce energy. Without enough energy to do its job, it begins to malfunction—which can lead to fatigue symptoms.