Vitamin deficiency is the absence of nutrients for an extended period of time. A primary deficiency occurs when there is a deficiency in vitamin intake.

What is a vitamin?

Any set of organic compounds that are required in small amounts in the diet because they cannot be produced by the body and are essential for normal growth and nutrition Proper healthy diet provides all the supplements which are needed for the body.

They are essential that are needed in small amounts throughout our diet but cause-specific diseases when deficient. Most nutrients cannot be synthesized in our bodies, but plants can synthesize almost all of them, making them essential food factors. The bacteria in our gut, on the other hand, can produce some of the nutrients we require. All of the nutrients are commonly found in our diet.

Different nutrients belong to different chemical classes, and defining them on the basis of structure is difficult. • They are generally regarded as organic compounds that are required in small amounts in the diet to perform specific biological functions for the normal maintenance of the organism’s optimum growth and health.

They are denoted by the letters A, B, C, D, and so on. Some are further classified as sub-groups, such as B1, B2, B6, B12, and so on. Vitamin A is essential for the health of our skin and eyes. Vitamin C aids the body’s defense against a variety of diseases. Heat easily destroys vitamin C during cooking. Vitamin D aids our bodies in the utilization of calcium for the formation of bones and teeth.

Excessive consumption is also harmful, and supplement pills should not be taken without consulting a doctor. Because the previously identified compounds contained amino groups, the term “Vitamin” was coined from the words vital + amine. Later research revealed that the majority of them did not contain amino groups, so the letter ‘e’ was dropped and the term vitamin is now used

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Essential Vitamin

• A
• C
• D
• E
• K
• B1 (thiamine)
• B2 (riboflavin)
• B3 (niacin)
• B6 (pyridoxine)
• B12 (cyanocobalamin)
• Pantothenic acid (B5)
• Biotin (B7)
• Folate (folic acid )

• Fat-soluble are stored in the liver, fatty tissue, and muscles of the body. Vitamins A, D, E, as well as K, are the four fat-soluble vitamins. Mostly in the presence of dietary fat, these are more easily absorbed by the body

. Water-soluble substances do not accumulate in the body•. Vitamins C and B are among the nine water-soluble vitamins. Any leftover or excess amounts of these pass through the body via the urine. To avoid shortages or deficiencies in the body, they must be consumed on a regular basis. Vitamin B12, on the other hand, can be stored in the liver for many years.

The body also needs some nutrients, such as:

• Choline

• Carnitine

Vitamin A greatly helps in the creation and stabilization of healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. Pyridoxine is another name for vitamin B6. It is used to support the formation of red blood cells and the maintenance of brain function. This vitamin is also important in the proteins that are involved in many chemical reactions in the body. The more protein you ingest, the more pyridoxine your body requires.

B12, like some of the other B vitamins, did help with metabolism. It also aids in the formation of red blood cells and the proper functioning of the central nervous system •Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that aids in the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums. It aids in the absorption of iron and the maintenance of healthy tissue.

Symptoms of vitamin deficiency

Vitamin A Deficiency:

Nausea, vomiting, irritability, drowsiness, altered mental status, anorexia, abdominal pain, blurred vision, muscle pain with weakness, and/or headache may occur at first. This can eventually lead to Hypervitaminosis A or vitamin A toxicity. The negative consequences include birth defects, and decreased bone density, which may lead to osteoporosis, central nervous system disorders, and liver abnormalities.

Vitamin C Deficiency:

Scurvy is a disease that is caused by a severe deficiency in vitamin C. It’s less common these days, but it can still happen. You can have a deficiency without becoming scurvy. Feeling weak, tired, irritable, dry and splitting hair, bleeding gums, rough, dry, scaly skin, gingivitis, easy bruising, anemia, and a reduced ability to fight infection are all symptoms. Excessive consumption can result in stomach upset, diarrhea, and possibly kidney stones.

Vitamin D Deficiency:

Vitamin D is required to keep calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood stable. In children, a deficiency can lead to rickets, a disease that causes soft, weak bones, resulting in skeletal deformities (bowed legs), impaired growth, bone pain, and dental issues. A deficiency in adults can result in Osteomalacia and osteoporosis.

Vitamin K Deficiency:

Vitamin K is a class of fat-soluble compounds that aid in clotting, bone development, and cardiovascular health. A lack of vitamin K can lead to significant bleeding, poor bone development, osteoporosis, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin E Deficiency:

A lack of this may result in impaired reflexes and coordination, difficulty walking, and weak muscles. Premature infants with the deficiency risk developing a severe form of anemia. The diagnosis is made based on the symptoms and the findings of a physical examination. Taking E supplements makes up for the deficiency.

B1 deficiency

Thiamin is the most common name for B1. It is involved in a variety of bodily functions, including carbohydrate metabolism, muscle function, the production of hydrochloric acid, and nervous system function. A deficiency can result in fatigue, weakness, nerve damage, and psychosis. When the deficiency becomes severe, it results in the disease beriberi. Thiamin is found in a variety of foods, making it simple to get enough through your diet. These foods include beans, pork, fortified cereal, and enriched rice.

B2 Deficiency

Riboflavin is the most common name for vitamin B2. It is required for the conversion of food to energy, as an antioxidant by scavenging harmful free radicals, and for the conversion of B6 and folate into active forms. A well-balanced diet meets the needs of the majority of people. Riboflavin is found in milk, spinach, fortified cereal, eggs, and green vegetables. You can be deficient in riboflavin if you don’t consume enough of it, but other factors such as malabsorption syndromes, chronic diarrhea, long-term use of barbiturates, peritoneal dialysis, and alcoholism can also cause a deficiency. Fatigue, skin irritations, cracks and sores around the corner of the mouth, and sensitivity to light are all symptoms of riboflavin deficiency.

B3 Deficiency

Pellagra is a disease caused by severe niacin deficiency. Pellagra symptoms are known as the four Ds: dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death. Prior to this, the digestive system (diarrhea, vomiting, bright red tongue), the skin (a darkly pigmented rash that develops symmetrically in areas exposed to sunlight, thick and scaly skin), and the nervous system will be affected by a niacin deficiency (fatigue, depression, headache, apathy, disorientation, and memory loss)

B6 Deficiency:

Depression, confusion, sores or ulcers on the mouth, ulcers at the corners of the mouth, confusion, and irritability are symptoms of a B6 deficiency. Excessive amounts can also be problematic. Taking a supplement with more than 1,000 mg per day has been linked to sensory neuropathy. Symptoms include difficulty walking as well as pain and numbness in the extremities.

B12 Deficiency:

You are at risk of developing pernicious anemia if you do not get enough vitamin B12. Fatigue, constipation, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet are all symptoms of B12 deficiency. You may also have trouble maintaining your balance, confusion, dementia, depression, and poor memory. Fortunately, you can get enough by eating animal foods such as beef, salmon, trout, tuna, chicken, eggs, and yogurt. It’s also in fortified cereals.

Pantothenic acid ( B5) and Biotin(B7) Deficiency:

Pantothenic acid and biotin deficiency affect the growth of the body. They aid the body’s digestion and utilization of food. This is referred to as metabolism. They are both required for the production of fatty acids. Pantothenic acid is also involved in the synthesis of hormones and cholesterol. Furthermore, it is used in the conversion of pyruvate, a substance required by many metabolic pathways in the body.

Folate Deficiency:

Symptoms of folate deficiency are frequently subtle. Fatigue, gray hair, mouth sores, tongue swelling, growth problems, and peripheral neuropathy are among them (the result of damage to one or more groups of nerves) Anemia symptoms caused by a lack of folate include persistent fatigue, weakness, lethargy, pale skin, shortness of breath, and irritability.

Precaution Vitamin Deficiency

Stopping deficiency-causing behaviors like unhealthy eating, smoking, and heavy alcohol use can help prevent nutrient deficiency anemia. A healthy diet can reduce your chances of developing the condition. Some people take a supplement on a daily basis to help prevent the condition.

Women’s health and reproductive outcomes are particularly impacted by deficiencies, even more than previously thought. Similarly, the social impact of vitamin deficiency health consequences is borne disproportionately by women, adolescents, and children, according to socioeconomic strata. As infants and young children grow rapidly, nutrient deficiencies can affect their immune systems, incidences of infectious diseases, intellectual development, physical development, and growth.

On a larger scale, nutrient deficiencies contribute to the global disease burden, economic costs, and limited national development, though the overall impact of nutrients alone is unknown and likely to be minor. A decline in dietary quality, resulting in nutrient and other micronutrient deficiencies, is an early response to crises that affect food supplies and generate household food insecurity; thus, evidence of nutrient deficiencies has been used as an early indicator in such crises. Although historical and well-known effects of vitamin deficiencies are used in program development, new examples of underestimated, subtle, and uncertain effects of some nutrient deficiencies (e.g., vitamin B12, vitamin D, and so on) are increasingly being recognized.

Vitamin D is required for normal metabolism, and some recent evidence suggests that insufficient vitamin D concentrations may be linked to weight gain, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and even cancer/especially since low-serum nutrient D in US adolescents has been linked to hypertension, hyperglycemia, and the metabolic syndrome independent of adiposity. The results of the large, multicenter Vitamin D and Lifestyle (VITAL) study of vitamin D supplementation did not result in lower incidences of invasive cancer or cardiovascular events than a placebo. A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in currently pregnant Japanese women has been linked to avoidance of ultraviolet radiation and a low vitamin D diet.

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