Nutrient Deficiencies - Three Causes

We hear about nutrient deficiencies all the time, and you may have even been diagnosed with one– Vitamin D, iron, Vitamin B12, and calcium are the most commonly diagnosed. These are often diagnosed through blood labs, and the solution is to take a supplement. There are many deficiencies that are not as easily diagnosed from routine blood labs because many nutrients don’t have reliable markers in blood, such as magnesium. Looking at symptoms and dietary intake can help point to subclinical (meaning not deficient yet, but lacking enough for optimal function) deficiencies, as well as some of these vitamins and minerals that are harder to test for. In my practice I use a nutrient test that looks at both serum blood and urine to determine deficiencies and how severe they are.

Now, you may be thinking “great, I know my deficiency and now I need the appropriate supplement, problem solved!” This will only solve one out of the three problems that could lead to nutrient deficiency. Let’s look at those.

Not getting enough of the nutrient.

This is where dietary analysis and supplements are helpful. If there simply is not enough of the nutrient being consumed, then we can increase it either through whole food or a specific supplement. Follow up lab testing can confirm if enough of the nutrient was added to be sufficient.

Not absorbing the nutrient.

In this case, supplementation won’t solve the deficiency. Often there is damage to the gut lining inhibiting absorption, so the nutrients pass through and out. Or in the case of B12, insufficient stomach acid will inhibit absorption. When this is the case, digestion and gut health must be optimized in order to optimize the nutrient. There can also be other nutrients or macronutrients that need to be present for vitamins and minerals to be absorbed.

Increased need for the nutrient.

There are also cases where a person may need more of a certain nutrient. Metabolic disorders such as Type 2 Diabetes, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and certain medications can all increase the need for certain nutrients. Or in the case of iron, maybe there is blood loss that is causing the deficiency. Maybe it looks like there is enough, or more than enough, of the nutrient coming in and the gut has been addressed, but the deficiency persists. This would lead me to look at what may be increasing a person’s need for the nutrient, therefore using it up quicker and increasing the body’s demand. In this case, healing the body to lower demand as well as giving a higher dose of the vitamin in the short term are warranted.

While we all love the idea of a quick fix by taking a pill, that is not always going to be effective. A

ddressing the reason for the nutrient deficiency is necessary.