Deficiency Associated with Micronutrients

Are you getting enough micronutrients for your body? If not try to include foods to make them to normal levels, as deficiency of these micronutrients have major effects on your health.

Here is the list of deficiency of each micronutrient and their consequences.

Deficiency of vitamins

• Vitamin A deficiency – Major effect of vitamin A deficiency is seen in case of vision. People with this deficiency face a problem of night blindness that is they cannot see properly in dim light. If deficiency is prolonged , it may lead to complete loss of vision through out life. Some other effects include protruding of eyes, diarrhea etc.

• Vitamin D deficiency – The major effect is seen in bones. This vitamin has vital role in calcium absorption and its deposition on bones to give strength to bones. In children , if deficiency is seen in early stages, it leads to improper and deformed bones, a condition called 'Rickets'. In adults , specially in menopause stage for women and above 50 years in men, it leads to 'osteoporosis'. This condition results due to softening of bones because of loss of calcium from bones.

• Vitamin E deficiency – Deficiency of this vitamin is rare. But still, if deficiency occurs, it leads to infertility in men. It works as anti oxidant, so cells may not be protected from UV damage due to loss of this vitamin.

• Vitamin K deficiency – It has a role in blood clotting. Because of this vitamin deficiency, clotting factors are released slow to the site of injury, as a result there is a delay in blood clotting leading to excessive blood loss.

• Vitamin B deficiency – This complex provides energy to the whole body and involve in various metabolic processes that produce proteins, fats, carbohydrates for our body. Any deficiency lead to imbalance of these processes. They also help in managing stress levels. Folate of this complex is important for pregnant women, deficiency of which leads to spinal defects in new born. It gives skin a scaly appearance.

• Vitamin C – We can say it as anti oxidant vitamin. It protects cells from being damaged by different chemicals released or from exterior. Major deficiency results in 'scurvy', characterized by scaly appearance of skin, rashes on skin, dryness.

Deficiency of minerals

• Iron deficiency – This is more than deficiency of any other nutrients. Iron helps haemoglobin to carry oxygen to all parts of our body. Deficiency of iron results in poor carrying capacity of oxygen. Major impact faced is anemia that is, low red blood cells production as a result oxygen is carried less resulting in shortening of breathing sometimes leading to death.

• Iodine – This is another mineral that has great impact on health. Iodine is important to produce thyroid hormone which has a crucial role in growth and development. In normal people, deficiency of iodine will enlarge thyroid gland(goiter). In case of pregnant women, deficiency of iodine will alter thyroid levels which has effect on growth of baby. It results either in premature baby or baby born with some defects.                                                                                                                            

• Calcium – It helps get healthy bones and teeth. Apart from this, it has a role in acting as signal for many hormones, maintains heart's health, involved in blood clotting process, helps maintain cholesterol levels normal. Deficiency of this mineral will alter all the above processes leading to imbalance in the body.

• Chromium – It maintains normal glucose levels in the body by controlling insulin hormone. Deficiency of this mineral will alter glucose levels in the body sometimes may lead to diabetes.

• Sodium – It  works along with potassium. Both work as electrolytes to maintain water balance in the body for healthy heart and kidneys. In case of deficiency, levels of these electrolytes are altered resulting in dehydration (loss of water), a serious issue which leads to kidney failure too.

• Magnesium – Very important for to maintain calcium and levels in bones. Along with association of vitamin B6, it has the ability to dissolve stones of small size in kidneys.

• Copper – Copper plays a vital role in elderly people, prevents loss of calcium from bones, preventing softening of bones.

• Zinc – It works along with vitamin B complex. It is essential for development of sex organs. Deficiency leads to improper growth of these organs. It also helps in giving energy to the body.