Micronutrients are the building blocks for your body. They provide the resources your body needs to function properly. Without a blood test, it can be difficult to know if you have sufficient levels of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other metabolites.
There are, however, some ways that your body indicates that everything is not what it should be. While some health conditions have a deeper root cause, micronutrient sufficiency is certainly a foundational place to begin.
These following key indicators may be a good reason to consider doing a micronutrient test.
Signs of Micronutrient Deficiency
1.Brittle hair and/or nails
From a micronutrient perspective one common cause for dry hair and fingernails tends to be a lack of biotin in the diet. Sometimes referred to as Vitamin B7 biotin is found in tomatoes, almonds, eggs. Necessary to properly metabolize fats and carbohydrates, other signs of a biotin deficiency may include chronic fatigue, muscle cramps and tingling in your extremities.
2. Dandruff and other scalp issues
A lack of certain micronutrients such as zinc and B vitamins – B2, B3, and B6 – have been linked to scalp health issues such as dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. Dietarily these nutrients can be added with:
- Vitamin B2 - spinach, beet greens, crimini mushrooms, asparagus, sea vegetables
- Vitamin B3 - tuna steak, chicken, turkey, crimini mushrooms
- Vitamin B6 - tuna steak, spinach, cabbage, bok choy, bell peppers, turnip greens, garlic, cauliflower
- Zinc - beef, lamb, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, lentils, garbanzo beans, cashews
3. Bleeding gums
Although bleeding gums can potentially be caused by vigorous or hard brushing of your teeth, in some cases, it may be due to a lack of vitamin C. This deficiency has also been tied to frequent nosebleeds. Foods rich in vitamin C include papaya, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, pineapple, oranges, kiwifruit, cantaloupe, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, bok choy, grapefruit.
4. Mouth sores
B vitamin deficiencies have been linked to canker sores, or lesions in the corners of the mouth. One study indicated that people with a sore tongue may have what’s referred to as oral anemia, in other words, they were low in iron levels. This seems to be especially tied to vitamins B1, B2, and B6. Food sources for these micronutrients can be found in:
- Vitamin B1 - sunflower seeds, navy beans, black beans, dried peas, green peas, lentils, pinto beans, lima beans
- Vitamin B2 - see above
- Vitamin B6 - see above
- and, of course, it’s important to add iron rich foods to the diet as well, - clams, mussels, oysters, liver, kidneys, lentils, spinach, sesame seeds, garbanzo beans, lima beans, olives, navy beans, Swiss chard. When eating iron rich food add ascorbic acid (vitamin C - such as lemon juice) to help increase absorption.
5. Poor Night Vision
Although commonly attributed to aging, poor night vision may be linked to a deficiency for Vitamin A. Another eye condition, called Bitot’s Spots, which are white bumps on the sclera, has also been linked to Vitamin A deficiency. Include more beef liver, sweet potato, carrots, dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, collards, dandelion, mustard, turnip), winter squash to your diet in order to boost your levels of vitamin A.
Diet is certainly a beneficial way to add micronutrients and help support body function. However, depending on the levels of micronutrient deficiency, supplementation may also be required. It is also important to note that in some cases it may take up to 18 months to restore micronutrient deficiency.
Concerned about your micronutrient status? Book a free discovery call with Mira to learn more!
[expand title="Sources"]
PMC, Europe. "Europe PMC". Europepmc.Org, 2023, https://europepmc.org/article/nbk/nbk547751.
"Your Sore Tongue Could Mean An Iron Deficiency | Livestrong.Com". LIVESTRONG.COM, 2023, https://www.livestrong.com/article/393453-tongue-symptoms-and-iron-deficiency/.
"Healthfully". Healthfully, 2023, https://healthfully.com/canker-sores-and-vitamin-deficiencies-7072415.html.
"Office Of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin C". Ods.Od.Nih.Gov, 2023, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer/.
Chakraborty, Uddalak, and Atanu Chandra. "Bitot's Spots, Dry Eyes, And Night Blindness Indicate Vitamin A Deficiency". The Lancet, vol 397, no. 10270, 2021, p. e2. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00041-6.
"Seborrheic Dermatitis And Dandruff: A Comprehensive Review". Vol 3, no. 2, 2015. Avens Publishing Group, doi:10.13188/2373-1044.1000019.
[/expand]
