Deficiencies In Vitamin D, Iron And B-12

A deficiency in a particular vitamin or mineral develops when your body does not have access to enough of that vitamin or mineral for a prolonged period of time. A deficiency can occur as a result of a lack of adequate dietary intake or as a side effect of a disease or medical condition that interferes with a proper nutrient.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that your body can store excess amounts for later use. Because of this, vitamin D deficiencies are not common. When a vitamin D deficiency does develop, it affects the health of your bones. The main function of vitamin D is to increase the absorption rate of calcium and phosphorus in the intestinal tract. This ensures that these minerals are available in your blood, so that your body can form healthy bones. If your body does not contain enough vitamin D, bones become soft, weak and brittle.

When vitamin D deficiency causes soft bones in children, the condition is referred to as rickets. Children with rickets develop bowed legs because their soft bones can no longer support their weight. Since milk became fortified with vitamin D, rickets is rare in the United States. The adult version of rickets is referred to as osteomalacia. Adults with osteomalacia experience muscle and bone pain and weakness. A vitamin D deficiency can also lead to the development of osteoporosis over an extended period of time.

Iron Deficiency

Approximately two-thirds of the iron in your body is found in the protein center of your red blood cells, which is called hemoglobin. Iron is vital for creating healthy red blood cells. Because of this, iron deficiency leads to a lack of healthy red blood cells, a condition referred to as anemia. Without healthy red blood cells, your body cannot properly deliver oxygen to your tissues. As a result, you may experience fatigue, shortness of breath, pale skin, headache, dizziness, cold hands and feet, weakness and irregular heartbeat. If left untreated, iron-deficiency anemia can lead to heart problems and, in children, delayed growth.

Vitamin B-12 Deficiency

A lack of vitamin B-12 can lead to another type of anemia, called macrocytic anemia. This type of anemia is characterized by larger than normal red blood cells. As with iron-deficiency anemia, these abnormal blood cells cannot properly deliver oxygen. Someone with a B-12 deficiency may experience fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tingling and numbness in the extremities and difficulty walking.

Considerations

If deficiency develops due to insufficient dietary intake, the deficiency can usually be reversed by increasing your dietary intake of the particular nutrient. If the deficiency is caused by an underlying medical condition, it is important to seek treatment to correct the condition.