3 Common Vitamin Deficiencies and What to do about it

It’s important to note that you cannot diagnose a vitamin deficiency on your own, so if you recognize any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor. Under your doctor’s guidance and supervision, you can get a deficiency under control in a way that works for you and any of your pre-existing conditions. Like Health Tips Everyone Should Know for more

1. Vitamin B12
Everyday Health explains that vitamin B12 plays a vital role because it aids the production of DNA and helps make new neurotransmitters in the brain.

Common symptoms include:
numbness in the hands, feet or legs; difficulty with walking and balance; anemia; fatigue; weakness; a swollen tongue; memory loss; paranoia and hallucinations.

Doctors say there’s an increase in this deficiency because more people are going vegan and undergoing weight-loss surgery. B12 is commonly found in animal sources, so if you have a deficiency, you should consume more meat, poultry, fish and milk products. If you’re vegan, Everyday Health suggests nondairy milk, meat substitutes, and breakfast cereals to help increase your intake.

2. Iron
Iron is so important to your health because it helps your body make the red blood cells it needs. When your iron levels are too low, your body can’t carry enough oxygen, which can cause serious problems.

The symptoms of low iron, according to Everyday Health, include: 

fatigue, pale skin and dull, thin, sparse hair. If you need a boost of iron, opt for some iron-filled foods like beef, oysters, spinach, lentils, and beans — such as white beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans.

3. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is essential for maintaining brain health, protecting against aging and supporting normal cholesterol levels.

If you have a vitamin E deficiency, you might recognize the following symptoms, according to UMD Medical Center:

Muscle weakness, loss of muscle mass, abnormal eye movements, vision problems, and unsteady walking.
Mercola.com says you can combat a vitamin E deficiency by taking a natural supplement that is marked as the “d-” form (for example, d-alpha-tocopherol or d-beta-tocopherol). The best source of vitamin E is in your food, though, so opt for nuts — like hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, and pecans — seeds, olive oil, legumes, and green vegetables.