A nutrient deficiency occurs when your body does not contain adequate amounts of a specific vitamin or mineral to perform its physiological functions. Over time, a lack of a specific nutrient can lead to disruptions in body processes and the development of physical symptoms. While most people quickly associate nutrient deficiencies with a lack of the specific nutrient in the diet, there is often a deeper cause.
Iron Deficiency
Two-thirds of the iron in your body is located in the hemoglobin in your red blood cells, according to "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake. Because such a high amount of iron is in your red blood cells, blood loss is a common cause of iron deficiency. Blood loss may occur as a result of trauma, abnormal menstrual periods or internal bleeding from ulcers or colon cancer. Iron deficiency can also develop as a result of a decreased ability to absorb iron due to intestinal disorders or prior intestinal surgery. A lack of iron in the diet can also cause iron deficiency. This is most common in strict vegetarians or vegans because the most absorbable forms of iron are found in animal foods.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency
The most common cause of a vitamin B12 deficiency is a lack of intrinsic factor, a protein produced by parietal cells in your stomach. Without intrinsic factor, you cannot physically absorb this water-soluble vitamin. A lack of intrinsic factor can be caused by autoimmune disorders or prior stomach surgery. Vitamin B12 deficiency may also develop due to abnormalities in the small intestine that cause a decreased absorption rate of the vitamin. Possible causes include tapeworm infection, bacterial overgrowth and certain types of medication. Digestive diseases can also cause vitamin B12 deficiency. Lack of vitamin B12 in the diet can eventually lead to a deficiency of this B-complex vitamin, but because your body can store years' worth of the vitamin, such a deficiency can take a long time to develop.
Vitamin B6 Deficiency
Vitamin B6 deficiency is rare in the United States, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. One of the most common causes of a vitamin B6 deficit is alcohol abuse. Alcohol increases the rate at which your body destroys and removes vitamin B6. Alcoholics also generally have a poor diet. Asthmatic children taking medicine containing theophylline are also at risk of vitamin B6 deficiency because the medication decreases your body's vitamin B6 stores.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Like all other vitamins, you can obtain the vitamin D from foods and supplements. Vitamin D is unique in that your skin is able to synthesize it with the aid of ultraviolet-B rays from sunlight. Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, your body needs dietary fat to absorb it properly. Disorders that reduce the amount of fat you are able to absorb can cause decreased absorption of vitamin D as well. These disorders, which include celiac disease, Crohn's disease and bile duct disorders, can lead to a vitamin D deficiency. Such a deficiency may also develop if you do not have adequate exposure to sunlight. As you age, your ability to synthesize vitamin D in the skin naturally declines, increasing your risk of vitamin D deficiency. A diet low in vitamin D may cause deficiency, but this is rare in developed countries.
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