Vitamin Deficiency – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
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Vitamin deficiency – why, symptoms, diseases & treatment
Pablo has rightly said, “Always Remember to take your Vitamins: Take your Vitamin A for Action, Vitamin B for Belief, Vitamin C for Confidence ,Vitamin D for Discipline, Vitamin E for Enthusiasm!!”
Vitamins in your diet play a vital role in maintaining good health. In the present lifestyle of processed foods and fatty diet, people are prone to have one or many vitamin deficiency. This can also happen due to an improper digestive system. Vitamins with enzymes help to release energy in the body and maintain chemical activities.
There are 13 types of vitamins:
- Thiamine
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- B6 (pyridoxine)
- Folacin
- B12 (cyanocobalamin)
- Pantothenic acid
- Biotin
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E and
- Vitamin K
In This Article
Causes of Vitamin Deficiency
Vitamins are required for many vital bodily functions. Hence, one should consume the proper amount of vitamins or take a supplement. Deficiency of the essential vitamins usually is a result of poor dietary habits like low intake of fruits and vegetables. Vitamin deficiency is a very serious problem, and should be treated by natural foods or dietary supplements.
Other things that may cause vitamin deficiency include:
1. Dieting
2. Alcoholism
3. Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy
4. Obesity
5. Smoking
6. Pregnancy and breast-feeding women.
Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms
1. Flu
2. Muscular cramps
3. Psoriasis
4. Chronic kidney disease
5. Diabetes
6. Asthma
7. Periodontal disease
8. Cardiovascular disease
9. Depression
10. Cancer
Vitamin Deficiency Diseases & Treatment
Below listed are the different deficiency diseases of vitamins and their treatment.
1. Beriberi:
The symptoms of this disease are pain, brain damage, weight loss, body weakness, irregular heart rate and heart failure. It was endemic in Asia for a long time. Beriberi is caused by lack of vitamin B1 (thiamine) which can be obtained from the husks of cereal grains.
[ Read: Vitamin C Deficiency Diseases ]
2. Pellagra:
The symptoms of this disease are dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea. It might also lead to death. Lack of vitamin B3 (niacin) can cause pellagra. A diet rich in vitamin B3 can easily treat it.
[ Read: Vitamin E Deficiency Symptoms ]
3. Biotin Deficiency:
Biotin deficiency causes hair loss, anemia, rashes, mental illness, hallucinations, drowsiness, and depression. This vitamin can be obtained from meat, liver, milk, peanuts, and some vegetables.
[ Read: Vitamin Deficiency Disease ]
4. Scurvy:
Scurvy can lead to skin spots, loss of teeth, fever, bleeding gums, lethargy and might also lead to death. This is caused by deficiency of vitamin C.
5. Hypocobalaminemia:
This leads to damage of the spinal cord and brain deterioration during the course of time. It can also cause mental disorders. Its symptoms are irritability, depression, fatigue and bad memory. This is caused by deficiency of vitamin B12 in the body. Vitamin B12 can be obtained from eggs, dairy, meat, etc.
6. Rickets:
Rickets makes one’s muscles and bones soft. This is mainly observed in children and infants. Rickets is caused due to lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D is needed for calcium to get absorbed into the bones to strengthen them.
7. Ariboflavinosis:
This disease is mainly observed in malnourished kids and alcoholics. The symptoms are cracked lips, swelling of the throat, bloodshot eyes, bright pink tongue and low red blood cell count. This is due to deficiency of vitamin B2 (riboflavin), but can be easily treated by consuming proper food and including milk, mushrooms, meat, eggs, and leafy green vegetables. This is used for artificial orange coloring in foods.
9. Vitamin K deficiency:
This vitamin deficiency normally affects newborns and toddlers. It can also cause uncontrolled bleeding and underdeveloped bones. Vitamin K injections are given to newborns in many hospitals to avoid this deficiency. This vitamin can be obtained from green, leafy vegetables. Vitamin K deficiency is also seen in bulimics, strict dieters, alcoholics, and people with cystic fibrosis.
10. Paraesthesia:
Vitamin B5 can be obtained from most of the food substances. This deficiency is mainly found in people who come under the malnutrition category. A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to chronic paraesthesia. Paraesthesia is widely known to people as the numbing sensation like a limb’ falling asleep’. This is not a dangerous disease, and is normally seen in people with vitamin B5 deficiency
11. Night Blindness:
This disease causes the patient to either lose complete sight or a blurry vision at night. Deficiency of vitamin A causes night blindness. Including carrots in your diet can help to get rid of this disease.
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