Am I At Risk for a Nutrient Deficiency?

Having low levels of certain nutrients in your body might not be a life-threatening issue, but deficiencies can cause intense discomfort and symptoms, such as numbness or tingling, fatigue, weak skin, and hair loss. 

Your first thought might be to try to correct a nutrient deficiency with supplements. But the best way to deal with any deficiency is by restructuring your diet to include the nutrients your body lacks. neXendo Wellness welcomes you to visit our Long Island City or Murray Hill, New York, offices for clinical nutrition services from board-certified endocrinologist Dr. Anastasios Manessis and dietician Brandon Caraballosa. 

Clinical nutrition helps you understand the intricacies of your nutritional requirements and develop a diet that meets your needs despite any dietary restrictions you may have. 

Our team can also assess your risk for nutrient deficiencies. In this blog, we’ll touch on a few of the most common risk factors and what you can do to mitigate them. 

Age impacts digestion and nutrient absorption

Seniors are at a particularly increased risk of a nutrient deficiency due to the many changes that happen to their minds and bodies with age. 

One of the many ways your body changes as you grow older is declining oral health and function. Many people lose one or more teeth, which can make it increasingly challenging to consume a well-rounded diet. In attempting to go easy on your gums, you might skip a few vital nutrients, which can lead to further health issues, both oral and otherwise. 

Additionally, seniors often experience digestive changes, particularly in how they absorb vitamin B12. B12 deficiency is among the most common, so you should talk to our team about how to keep getting enough of that vitamin in your meals and otherwise. 

Pregnancy often calls for multivitamins

Your body undergoes immense changes during the nine months of pregnancy, including some that affect your metabolism and nutrient absorption. If you don’t get all the nutrients you need in your diet, the consequences can fall on your baby. 

Our team encourages you to develop or maintain a well-balanced prenatal diet complete with the nutrients you need for your baby to thrive. We encourage pregnant women to take multivitamins to make sure they’re not low in any important vitamins, minerals, or antioxidants. 

Diets and restrictions

Whether you’re attempting the latest fad diet or are a lifelong vegan or vegetarian, being mindful of the nutrients included in your diet is crucial for avoiding a deficiency and its symptoms. Many diets and dietary restrictions cause you to avoid some of the most significant sources of needed nutrients, so you need to find a way to consume them from other sources.

Those who follow a vegan diet are particularly at risk of being low in specific nutrients, like vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that you can only get from animal products, which many people don’t realize when they first embark on the path of veganism. And vitamin B12 is an important one — it helps with cognitive function, red blood cell formation, and energy. 

Now is the time to learn more about nutrition and your diet. Our experts are here to help! Schedule your next visit to neXendo Wellness online or with a phone call.