Dr. Raghavendra

Vitamins play an essential role in the production of red blood cells and DNA in your body. It also plays an important role in the proper functioning of your nervous system. Unfortunately, deficiency of vitamins is very common, especially in the elderly. You are at risk of deficiency if you don’t get enough vitamins from your diet or from the food you eat. 

Vitamins are regarded as co-contributors for all the essential biochemical reactions within the body. Fatigue, shortness of breath, weight loss and irregular heartbeats are some of the well-known signs of vitamin deficiency, but you should be aware of the unusual vitamin-deficiency signs as well.

1. White and red acne on the arms, thighs, and cheeks: This means that your body is not just deficient in vitamins A and D, but some essential fatty acids as well. If you spend long hours in air-conditioned spaces and live in a region where pollution is extremely high, you are more likely to suffer from these deficiencies. You should eat a lot of fishes, eggs and green leafy vegetables in this case. You should consume dairy products since they contain healthy fats along with all the fresh fruits and vegetables you can think of.
2. Tingling sensation followed by numbness in the hands and feet: This indicates that your body is deficient in B vitamins such as B12, B6, and folate or B9. It is a health issue directly connected with the peripheral nerves and their ending on the skin. These symptoms may be accompanied by depression, anemia, fatigue and even hormone imbalances. Foods like eggs, mutton, chicken, nuts, wheat germ, brown rice, grains, and sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin B.
3. Cracks at the corner of the mouth: This is a common symptom indicating a deficiency of B vitamins along with iron and zinc. This problem is mostly seen among vegetarians since they do not eat enough iron, zinc and vitamin B12. It could also mean that you are cutting down on some proteins required for your immunity building owing to excessive dieting. You should include more poultry products, tomatoes, lentils, and peanuts. Make sure that you eat dairy products such as paneer, yogurt, and ghee or clarified butter.
4. Muscle cramps along with throbbing pain in calves, arches of feet and back portion of the legs: If this is the case with you, then you are not just deficient in vitamin but calcium, magnesium and potassium as well. This may also happen if you are training hard since you are likely to lose more minerals through heavy sweating. Have a lot of fresh fruits, dry fruits and vegetables to fix these issues.

The key to avoiding such problems is to have a balanced meal every day.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!