Vitamins are molecules that are essential for many bodily functions. Most of them can only be provided through food, and their essential intake can be impacted by certain diets: unbalanced and ultra-processed diets , vegetarian or vegan diets (with a particular risk of vitamin B12 deficiency), and certain diseases leading to malabsorption. In the event of prolonged deficiencies, the impact on the body can have numerous consequences, such as the appearance of complex pathologies.
How to recognize the signs of deficiencies?
Vitamin needs vary from person to person depending on lifestyle , age and gender . There are as many signs of deficiency as there are different vitamins, which makes diagnosis all the more complicated, which is why it is important to know how to listen to your body. Most often, fatigue is felt, followed by specific symptoms depending on the vitamin in question.
For some, deficiencies are a myth; the abundance of vitamins in the diet makes it very difficult not to get enough. For others, meeting the required intake is more complicated, leading to frequent signs of deficiency and sometimes even long-term illness .
Vitamin A
Vitamin A acts primarily on the mechanism of vision , including adaptation to darkness, but also on the immune system , gene function and through its antioxidant properties . Found in animal products such as fish livers, it is also present in vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin, etc.) in the form of beta-carotene.
In case of deficiency, one of the first signs is a decrease in vision . Virtually non-existent in developed countries, only people suffering from poor assimilation would be affected.
Vitamin C
Present mainly in fruits such as blackcurrants, citrus fruits, and vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, etc.), vitamin C plays a protective role in body tissues by participating in maintaining collagen stores and in the synthesis of nerve molecules .
Scurvy is a condition caused by a vitamin C deficiency. It results in skin rashes, particularly on the gums, which swell and bleed profusely, dry eyes and mouth, and increased mental and muscular fatigue .
Vitamin B9
Cell growth and renewal are made possible in part by vitamin B9 . Also known as folic acid, its intake is essential during pregnancy for optimal fetal growth.
In case of deficiency, in addition to the risk of malformations, megaloblastic anemia can occur: the red blood cells will be abnormally large, which can cause dizziness, pallor and shortness of breath...
To cover your needs, it is recommended to eat animal liver and legumes such as chickpeas or beans and green vegetables.
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 is involved in several nervous functions such as memory and intellectual faculties as well as in the body's energy production . It is found in whole grains, brewer's yeast, and even meat.
A vitamin B1 deficiency promotes the development of beriberi , a disease that causes a wide variety of symptoms, such as heart failure and limb pain . It can occur not only from a low intake of this vitamin, but also in people who consume very large amounts of carbohydrates or in alcoholics .
Vitamin B12
We are hearing more and more about vitamin B12 deficiency because it is one of the only vitamins found (almost) exclusively in animal products (offal, poultry, fish, etc.). It is involved in many metabolic functions, in the management of fatigue , energy , but also in association with vitamin B9, where they act on DNA and the nervous system .
Vegetarian , vegan or flexitarian diets are therefore the most at risk of being deficient. Hematological , neuropsychiatric or even weight loss manifestations reflect a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vitamin D
Much more than just sun exposure, vitamin D must also be provided through diet with oily fish, mushrooms or even dark chocolate. It is necessary for the proper functioning of the body by acting on the nervous , muscular and hormonal systems.
The world's population does not generally consume enough of it. People who are severely deficient suffer from muscular disorders (convulsions, tetany, etc.) or bone disorders (osteomalacia, rickets, etc.) or, more rarely, anemia .
As for other vitamins, we're lucky. Their abundance in the diet makes it almost impossible to be deficient .
Although uncommon in developed countries, it is important to adopt a varied and balanced diet to stay healthy.
Vitamin substitutes can help you maintain optimal intake and benefit from all their benefits. This is the case with our Multivitamin Cure, which includes all the vitamins and minerals necessary to keep you full of energy all year round .
