You’re tired, your muscles ache, and sometimes, you feel numbness in your limbs; are you working too hard or are you nutrient deficient?

An unbalanced diet is just one of the many reasons you could be nutrient deficient, medical conditions and even age can be a factor too! Approximately two billion people in the world have some form of nutrient deficiency, and studies have shown that issues like obesity and even mental illnesses can possibly be affected by nutrient deficiency as well.

If you can relate to any of these common statements, you might want to consider if you are lacking certain minerals or vitamins!  

“I’m tired all the time.”

This one is a toughie, because a number of vitamins and minerals can be associated with this symptom. You may be lacking iron, magnesium, potassium, or even vitamin B and C. Really low levels of calcium have also been linked with fatigue.  Read on about the other symptoms and see if you can pinpoint which other nutrient you could be lacking!

“I get muscle cramps and even numbness in my limbs.”

You should probably start drinking more milk because you could be missing calcium from your body! Not just for maintaining strong bones, calcium can also have an impact on muscle and nerve functions. If you feel numbness instead of muscle cramps and particularly in the legs and hands, creating problems with walking and balancing, you might have a loss of vitamin B12.

“I’m overweight.”

A poor amount of vitamin D in your body may cause weight gain, possibly leading to diabetes and obesity if not properly monitored. You could also be missing magnesium, as sweets and other high sugar foods could cause the body to excrete magnesium through the kidneys. In serious cases of magnesium loss, you may have a loss of appetite, be nauseated, and in worst case scenarios, you could have seizures and personality changes!

Reference:

Astrup, A., and S. Büge. "Micronutrient Deficiency in the Aetiology of Obesity." Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group, 2010. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

Bowers, Elizabeth Shimer. "7 Common Nutrient Deficiencies: Know the Signs." EverydayHealth.com. Everyday Health, 6 Oct. 2014. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

Jagannatha Rao, K.S., M. R. Asha, B. N. Ramesh, and T.S. Sathyanarayana Rao. "Understanding Nutrition, Depression and Mental Illnesses." Indian Journal of Psychiatry. Medknow Publications, 1 June 2008. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

Mercola, Joseph. "How to Recognize Nutrient Deficiencies." Mercola.com. Dr. Mercola, 3 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

Stewart, Alan. ""...all Doctors Should Be Able to Diagnose and Treat Nutritional Deficiencies."" Deficiency Symptoms and Signs. Stewart Nutrition, 2015. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

Tulchinsky, MD, MPH, Theodore H. "Public Health Reviews." Public Health Reviews. 2010. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.

"UCLA Nutrition Education." UCLA Nutrition Education. David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA, 2003. Web. 18 Dec. 2015.