Common Signs that You Might Have a Vitamin Deficiency

Having a vitamin deficiency can be very dangerous. Vitamins are very important to your survival. Being deficient in any vitamin can create difficulties.

Tragically, because of bad diets, most people have some kind of vitamin deficiency. While this won’t lead to extreme undernourishment, it will wear your body down incredibly. Over time, vitamin deficiencies can actually cause some very bad complications and can even lead to death.

But how can you know if you are getting enough of every vitamin on the list? You would think that just taking a daily vitamin would be enough. However, daily vitamin supplements are not “one size fits all.” They have to be tailored to your personal health, age and lifestyle. Just because you take a daily vitamin does not mean that you are safe from having a vitamin deficiency.

Fortunately, there are a lot of “red flags” that can indicate potential deficiencies. Without knowing the signs of a vitamin deficiency, you might blame it on something else. Look at the list below. So if you meet any of the following symptoms, you might be experiencing some of the mild effects of a vitamin deficiency.

1. Skin is dry
Dandruff and cracking skin can indicate a wide array of deficiencies. This is more than likely a sign of this if you have developed these issues after your mid-twenties.

2. You get a cold every winter
So many people catch a winter cold every year. It really shouldn’t be. If you get a cold every year when the weather gets chilly, then you may have slight immune problems. Most of the time your body should be able to fight these colds off.

3. Fingernails and hair break off easily
Myriad deficiencies cause breakage in nails and hair. Vitamin deficiencies can cause split ends and hang nails.

4. Loss of hair
Usually, hair loss is caused by genetics or nutrition. Before going to the emergency room, invest in a a daily vitamin supplement. The odds are pretty good.

When you get older, your body is not able to use foods that are in your daily diet to meet your everyday nutritional needs on its own. Make things easier for your body by giving it the fuel it needs “ready-made.” Once you figure out you have a vitamin deficiency, this is the best way to deal with it.