The effects of Nutrient Deficiencies Are A Bigger Deal Than Most REALIZE
The effects of nutrient deficiencies are more common, and a much bigger problem than most people realize. In fact many people may not even realize they are nutrient deficient or at the very least living with sub optimal levels. Read more about the causes behind nutrient deficiencies here. There are many subtle signs, and some not so subtle, that you may be lacking a key nutrient or 2. Before we dive into some common and not so common signs of nutrient deficiencies let’s break down what nutrients are and why we need them.
What Is A Nutrient?
At it’s simplest definition a nutrient is a substance that an organism needs to survive, function, grow, and reproduce. Every living thing, plants, animals, and humans a like need nutrients. There are 2 categories that nutrients are broken down into; macro nutrients that we need on a large scale like protein, fat, and carbs, and micro nutrients that we need on a smaller scale like vitamins and minerals. In this post I’ll be discussing deficiencies in micro nutrients.
Since nutrients are needed to survive, function, grow, and reproduce then making sure we get an adequate amount every day is very important. On a cellular level our bodies reproduce over 300 billion cells a day! Neurotransmitters require the proper nutrients in order to function. In other words every cell in our body and every function it performs requires nutrients.
Signs Of Nutrient Deficiencies
When we think of a mal nourished person we may think of a thin or slickly looking person, and while that is definitely an obvious signs of long term nutrient deficiency on a large scale, there are other less obvious signs of nutrient deficiencies on a smaller scale. And believe me! These small scale deficiencies can have a big impact on your health and wellness.
There are several more obvious signs of nutrient deficiencies such as fatigue, head aches, frequent illness, brain fog, sore muscles, and so much more. But in this post I want to focus on 4 less than obvious signs that many might not even consider to be an issue with nutrient deficiencies.
1- DIFFICULTLY SLEEPING
While there are multiple things that can contribute to poor sleep quality, there are actually several key nutrients that play a major role in getting a good night’s sleep. Magnesium deficiency, is in fact among the most common reason people find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Iron and zinc are other common mineral deficiencies that can hinder good sleep. If you suffer from insomnia or don’t feel like your getting good quality sleep consider getting labs drawn to see if a nutrient deficiency might be the cause.
2- HORMONES
The never ending bombardment of hormone disruptors certainly doesn’t do anything to help our hormones, but thankfully addressing key nutrient deficiencies can. From thyroid health to low libido nutrient deficiencies can have a huge effect on our hormones, and since our hormones work in tandem together if one goes out of balance they will all go out of balance.
Zinc, selenium, copper, iodine, and iron are crucial for good thyriod function. Vitamin D, Iron, and zinc are needed for a good balance of sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. If you suffer from low libido due to hormone imbalance zinc is where it’s at! Magnesium is extremely important for stress management and keeping cortisol levels in check.
If you suspect your hormones are out of whack the first thing you need to do it ditch any products containing endocrine disruptors. The second thing you need to do is get labs drawn to see where you might be lacking.
3- Picky Eaters
This is probably one of the most off the wall effects of nutrient deficiencies but if you’ve got a picky eater in you life I encourage you to dig into this. There is limited research as well as anecdotal evidence that zinc deficiency could be contributing to picky eating. While to some degree, especially for children, this may just be a developmental or behavioral thing, there is growing evidence that zinc deficiency may in fact be the culprit. I have one child in particular who is very picky, who I started giving a zinc supplement to last week, and while she does still have some picky eating tendencies, she has gotten less picky.
4- Mental and Behavioral Health
Mental and behavioral health is a complex issue and is multifaceted. There is no one thing that contributes to or aggravates any one mental or behavioral health issue. However, there has been growing evidence that mineral deficiencies play a huge role in the health of our brains. During my own walk with postpartum depression and anxiety I discovered that iron in particular plays a major role in depression and anxiety. It came as no surprise to me when I had my labs drawn that I was extremely iron deficient, my ferritin was 6 when an optimal level is 50 to 60, my iron was 40 when an optimal level is 70 or above, and my transferritin was almost 500 when any level above 250 is cause for concern. I was clearly experiencing the effects of nutrient deficiencies. I immediately started supplementing iron and within 4 days notice a huge difference in my anxiety, my depression, and my anger (which is often closely associated with anxiety). During my research I found that there were other key nutrients that were extremely important to mental health in general such as magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, copper, selenium, B vitamins, amino acids, and L-thanine, as well as a link to gut health and mental health. My body was crying out for nutrients, and once I began to ensure my diet included these key nutrients, and or, supplemented these nutrients, as well as working on my gut health, I began to see even greater improvement. And while these supplements alone we’re not the only thing required to help me during my time of depression and anxiety, they made it possible for other therapies and protocols to be effective. It’s been 9 months since I started supplementing or ensuring my diet included the necessary nutrients, and while I still struggle from time to time I can say for the most part depression and anxiety are no longer issues for me, after struggling for more than 3 years.
In the same way nutrient deficiencies can effect a variety of mental health issues it can also affect a variety of behavioral issues such as ADD and ADHD. And while nutrient deficiencies are not the sole cause nor the sole remedy, addressing nutrient deficiencies can go a long way to allowing a person to manage their conditions well.
If you are struggling with any mental or behavioral issue I highly encourage you to look into your gut health and check for mineral deficiencies in tandem with other therapies or protocols. Working with a mental health professional who is holistically minded and well-versed in mineral deficiencies will ensure you are receiving the best care possible.
What now?
Do you suspect that you might be experiencing effects of nutrient deficiencies? Reach out to a naturally-minded doctor and get labs drawn.
If you find yourself in need of good quality supplements I highly recommend you check out my brand partners. These companies offer high quality, whole food supplements, that are free of preservatives, fillers, and other less than ideal ingredients. Read more about synthetic supplements and why I recommend whole food supplements here.
You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel once your get your nutrient deficiencies taken care of.
SOURCES
https://www.parentmap.com/article/underlying-causes-and-cures-of-picky-eating-habits
https://draxe.com/nutrition/iron-deficiency/