Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency

Vitamins and minerals are the most essential nutrients responsible for healthy growth of body and mind.



They regulate all the vital biological processes. These essential nutrients can either be synthesized by the body or received through fortified food sources. Individuals lacking these vital nutrients are often found with the symptoms of vitamin mineral deficiencies.

The severe effects of vitamin and mineral deficiencies are known since ages. Even today, people are suffering from deficiencies such as anemia, blindness, thyroid and cretinism due to inadequate diet or poor availability of enriched foods in developing countries. Most common occurring symptoms of vitamin and mineral deficiency include fatigue, weight loss, weakened bones, and growth retardation.

As compared to minerals, vitamins are more essential. Vitamin mineral deficiency greatly influences the whole body structure and mental growth. Some of the most important minerals are iron, calcium, iodine, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and zinc.

Iron is a key element that is responsible for transportation and storage of oxygen. It is also an effective anti-oxidant and helps in DNA synthesis. Individuals suffering from iron deficiencies show symptoms of anemia, constipation, dirt eating, fatigue, headaches, anorexia, ice eating, growth retardation, heart palpations and memory defects.

Calcium is the most widely found mineral in the human body. A higher percentage of the element is found in bones and teeth. Individuals suffering from calcium deficiencies show signs of arthritis, back pains, bone spurs, brittle nails, depression, nervousness, irritability, muscle cramps, neuromuscular excitability, high blood pressure, hyper tension, rickets, tooth decay, retarded growth and panic attacks.

Iodine is a non-metallic trace element that is utilized by the human body for the synthesis of thyroid hormones.



If adequate amount of iodine is not consumed in the daily diet, the individual is often found with deficiency symptoms of iodine. Symptoms include cold intolerance, hand tremors, irritability, hair loss, heat intolerance, fatigue, dry skin, depression and bulging eyes.

Magnesium plays an important role in producing energy, cell signaling, cell migration, iron transportation and synthesis of essential molecules. Magnesium deficiency symptoms include anxiety, asthma, anorexia, confusion, growth failure, birth defects, restlessness, menstrual migraines and insomnia.

Potassium is an electrolyte that serves as a cofactor for enzymes. Individuals suffering from potassium deficiency show signs of acne, edema, depression, cognitive impairment, constipation, nervousness, palpitation, respiratory distress and insomnia.

Phosphorous is a mineral that forms a major component of the cell membrane. The deficiency symptoms of phosphorous include anorexia, weight loss, apprehension, weight loss and weakness.

Zinc is an essential trace element for all living beings as it catalyzes all vital chemical reactions and regulates gene expression. A deficiency in zinc can lead to brain defects, clubbed limbs, heart defects, lung diseases, Down’s syndrome and urogenital defects. Symptoms include apathy, acne, fatigue, stunted growth, sterility and weakened immune system.

Any vitamin or mineral deficiency can be curbed by consuming the right amount of enriched food source and adding vitamin supplements to the diet.

Vitamins and minerals are essential for remaining healthy. They perform various important functions in our body and therefore are categorized as essential nutrients. A mineral deficiency or a vitamin deficiency can result in breakdown of the body’s essential functions and can also cause serious illnesses. There are overall a few vitamins that are essential for the body. These are vitamins A, B1, B2, niacin, biotin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, B6, B12, C, D, E and K.



Each of these vitamins has some specific functions in the body. Vitamin A deficiency, for instance, can cause night blindness, dry mouth, pain and burning sensation in the eyes, formation of callouses around the joints and thickening of the skin, dry hair, acne, lowered immunity, and overall impaired growth.

The vitamin deficiency diseases depend on the extent of deficiency of the vitamins as well as the extent of depletion of these nutrients from the body. Vitamin B group has a lot of vitamins in it. These vitamins are known as micronutrients because only a very small quantity of these nutrients is required by the body in order to remain healthy. However, in case there is a deficiency of these micronutrients, it can result in serious health conditions. Some of the vitamin deficiency symptoms for the vitamin B group include constipation, numbness and tingling in the body, ulcers in mouth, depression, hair loss, loss of appetite, degeneration of spinal cord, skin eruptions, fungal infections, muscle weakness, and anemia. The deficiency of vitamin B has been successful in establishing a relationship between vitamin deficiency and hairloss. Though anemia is usually associated with deficiency of iron, vitamin deficiency anemia, due to depletion of vitamin B, is not totally unheard of. Vitamin deficiency depressionis also possible in case of deficiency of vitamin B.

Vitamin deficiency diseases in children, due to the deficiency of vitamin C, include lowering of immunity, inflammation of joints and chronic pain, bleeding gums, difficulty in healing of wounds, and loose teeth, which may fall off rather easily.



One of the vitamin deficiency symptoms, fatigueis also associated with the deficiency of vitamin C. Even though the deficiency of any vitamin may cause fatigue, it is the deficiency of vitamin C that may cause fatigue. Vitamin D deficiency may cause diseases related to bones and joints. Rickets and osteoporosis are the two main diseases caused by vitamin D. In children, vitamin D deficiency may cause a delayed fusion of the lining of the skull, exposing children to meningitis and other similar brain diseases. Vision difficulty, diarrhea, and insomnia are some of the other conditions that are associated with deficiency of vitamin D.Vitamin E deficiency may cause loss of balance in children and adults, tremors in the body as well as muscular twitching, dry skin, lethargy, irritability, inability to walk properly, and other skin problems. Vitamin K is important for maintaining normal clotting in the blood. Therefore, a deficiency of vitamin K can cause a difficulty in clotting, causing nose bleeds, easy bleeding as well as bruising and increase in the normal clotting time.

Vitamin deficiency diseasesin children are usually more serious than in adults, even though both children and adults may suffer equally. Since children are in a growing stage, the deficiency of vitamins at this age can cause permanent damage to them. Vitamin deficiency symptoms in adultsmay disappear once you normalize your diet and begin consuming the apt recommended amount of vitamins, whereas the vitamin deficiency symptoms in children may not disappear so easily.



Vitamin deficiency symptoms in womencan be really serious, and cause serious complications especially when a woman is pregnant. Vitamin deficiency symptoms include tingling and swelling of tongue.

Apart from the vitamins, there are many minerals that are extremely important for the body. These minerals are essential for the normal functioning of the organs of the body. Most of these minerals are present in our bodies in large amounts. Minerals such as calcium are present in large quantities in the body, whereas other minerals such as magnesium are present only in trace amounts. Mineral deficiency diseases are associated with the malfunctioning of various organs. Mineral deficiency symptoms are almost always associated with the organ that the mineral itself is associated with. Minerals, like vitamins, are critical to our wellbeing. These are inorganic substances that help in regulating the essential functions of the body.It is these minerals that are responsible for the synthesis of skeletal bones, fluids in the body, enzymes and hormones.

There are some minerals that are required in larger quantities than others. However, mineral deficiency of either of these minerals can cause severe complications in a person’s health.



There are two chief minerals that are found in the body. These are calcium and phosphorus. Some of the other minerals that are vital for the body include potassium, iron, copper, fluoride, zinc, magnesium, sulfur, chloride and sodium. Mineral deficiency and hair lossare associated with each other and so are mineral deficiency and anxiety. Just as the deficiency of minerals can hurt the body, excessive minerals can cause damage as well. There are many negative effects of overabundance of minerals. For instance, low sodium levels in the body can create an electrolyte imbalance and interfere with the absorption of other vital nutrients, whereas an abundance of sodium can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problem.

Some of the common conditions associated with mineral deficiencies include anemia, osteoporosis, improper brain functioning, improper carbon dioxide removal from the cells, irregular muscle contractions, loss of bone density, improper blood clotting, muscular cramps, rickets, increased susceptibility to fractures, fatigue and otherwise low levels of energy, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, weight loss, decreased nerve functioning, slow metabolism, imbalanced regulation of gene expression, low white blood count and therefore decreased immunity, water retention, hormonal irregularities, miscarriages in women, premenstrual syndrome, menopausal complications, and other muscular and neurological complications. Some minerals are also associated with personality change, tremors and muscle spasms, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and finally, rising levels of cholesterol.