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The human body needs nutrients to function and operate effectively. Without adequate vitamins and minerals, the human body would not be able to perform its activities at its optimum level. The body needs food to derive its energy. Your food intake is how your body gets all the required nutrients and vitamins.

To ensure that your body stays healthy and keeps working at its best, you need to provide it with several nutrients. You can either get nutrients through supplements from Bulk Nutrients Australia or intake a healthy, well-balanced diet that ensures your body gets all that it needs.

In the article ahead, listed down are a few common signs when your body is indicating a deficiency of vitamins and minerals.  

·    Constant Fatigue and Lethargy:

Our lifestyles have hampered exposure to the sun. We work during the day, in closed offices, and lounge in our homes after work in front of the television. We have minimized our exposure to the sun, and this has caused severe health hazards. The sunlight is one of the most significant sources of vitamin D. Reduced exposure to the sun has caused the majority of the population to suffer from vitamin D deficiency.

A few signs that indicate that you may be suffering from vitamin D deficiency are regular feelings of fatigue. A reasonable level of tiredness and exhaustion after a hectic day of work is a prime example. But if your fatigue does not go away even after a relaxed, good night’s sleep, then you may be dealing with a health problem.

If you are mildly deficient, then adding food items such as salmon, tuna, shrimp, oatmeal, and cereals, may help counter the deficiency. However, if your body is critically deficient in vitamin D, then your doctor may prescribe you a regular intake of supplements.

Chronic fatigue may also be a sign of excessively low iron levels. Lower levels of iron in your body may cause lethargy, fatigue, and dizziness.

·    Poor Night Vision:

Your retinas have a pigment known as rhodopsin. Rhodopsin is what helps you see at night and in darkness. In order to produce this pigment, our bodies need vitamin A in adequate quantities. If not provided, a lack of vitamin A can cause poor night vision and difficulty in seeing in darkness.

Vitamin A deficiency, if not treated in time, can cause a condition known as xerophthalmia. It can cause permanent harm to the cornea and can cause night blindness. Vitamin A deficiency, however, is not known to be prevalent in developed countries.

If your body shows signs of weak or reduced vision at night or in darkness, then you may be suffering from vitamin A deficiency. Eating foods that are rich in vitamin A, such as leafy greens, fish, eggs, dairy, and organ meat, can help in increasing your vitamin A levels. Resorting to vitamin A supplements without a doctor’s prescription is strictly not recommended. This is because vitamin A is fat-soluble, and if consumed in excessive amounts, it can become toxic.

·    Brittle Hair and Nails: 

Hair breakage is normal. Losing around 100 hair per day is considered typical and healthy. However, if you suddenly start losing clumps of hair while brushing, then there may be an underlying deficiency.

Biotin, also referred to as vitamin B7, aids the body in converting food into energy. A deficiency in vitamin B7 can cause thinning, brittle hair, and nails. Other signs of biotin deficiency can be muscle cramps and constant fatigue.

Niacin, also identified as vitamin B3, is a nutrient that is responsible for keeping hair healthy. A vitamin B3 deficiency can cause a hair condition called ‘Alopecia’ which results in huge chunks of hair falling off.

Severe hair loss can also be linked to lower iron levels in your body. Critically low levels of iron may lead to excessive hair loss, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and headaches. Lower iron levels may massively affect your energy levels as well.

You can enhance your food intake by consuming diets rich in iron, such as spinach and beans. Some food items that are rich in biotin and niacin are meat, dairy, nuts, whole grains, sweet potatoes, and broccoli.

·    Chronic Constipation:

Constipation brings with it a hoard of other health issues. This is because having less than three bowel movements a week is not considered standard. Chronic constipation could be a sign that your body is lacking in fiber and magnesium. Fiber is what aids in making the stool easily passable. On the other hand, magnesium is a mineral that has a vital role in helping the stool move along the intestines.

Make sure that you intake food items that are rich in magnesium and fiber, such as whole grains. This can help alleviate your constipation.

·    Joints and Bone Pains:

One significant nutrient that ensures healthy bones and joints is calcium. The intake of calcium is crucial for a more robust and sturdy bone structure. Our skeletal system gives our body support to perform all its functions. With a weak and feeble skeletal system, our body can never achieve its maximum level of efficiency. Calcium also has one other critical role, and that is to regulate the body’s heartbeat.

Irregular heartbeat, or Arrhythmia, can be a sign of a calcium deficiency in your body. Other symptoms include pain in bones and joints, fractures, muscle cramps, and muscle twitches. An adult should intake 1000mg of calcium every day from food items or medicinal supplements. You can also opt for calcium-rich dietary options that include dairy items, salmon, and sardines.

Pain in your bones may also be indicative of a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D helps in calcium absorption into the body. Without adequate vitamin D levels, your body will not be able to utilize the consumed calcium. Hence, it is also crucial to maintain the right levels of vitamin D for healthier, stronger bones.

Conclusion:

The human body comprises of complex functions. For the appropriate and proper functioning of the system, the body needs nutrients and vitamins. A lack of these vitamins can cause long-term health effects on the body. Every vitamin and mineral is vital for the human body. Therefore, a well-balanced, healthy diet must be consumed with a proper nutrition check.