Why Vitamin Deficiencies Occur
No matter your age, vitamin deficiencies are a common issue all over the world and often co-exist with mineral deficiencies like iron and iodine. Fortunately, nutrition is one of the strongest and most adjustable environmental factors. Once you know what essential vitamins you are lacking, proper nutrition and supplements can be used to not only fix the areas you are deficient in, but can also reduce the burden of disease during an individual’s life.
Several factors can contribute to why a person may have vitamin and nutrient deficiencies. These reasons include inadequate access to high-quality meals or a change in diet toward a more restrictive, unbalanced, or nutrient-poor regimen. People can also experience a loss of appetite due to long-term illness or medical treatment. Vitamin deficiencies could also be caused by an underlying illness that decreases gastrointestinal digestion and absorption, like coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease.
Pinpointing the root of your deficiency can be complex. Microdefecinces might cause symptoms that are quite difficult to identify but could ultimately cause various chronic diseases like osteoporosis, and cardiovascular diseases, which is why it is important to seek assistance in finding and resolving the issue promptly.
What is The Most Common Vitamin Deficiency?
The most common vitamin deficiency is Vitamin D. Few foods we consume are naturally rich in this nutrient. Especially in the winter months when we don’t get out into the sun as frequently, our bodies’ access to Vitamin D is restricted. In the United States alone, 41.6% of people are likely deficient in this vitamin.
Vitamin D’s major function is to maintain calcium homeostasis, a process that is vital to bone growth, development, and density in the skeletal system. While bone strength is the main concern, vitamin D receptors are found all over the body, including in the brain, heart, and stomach. Chronically low levels of this vitamin over time can lead to serious issues, including hypertension and other systemic diseases.
Other Common Deficiencies
Iron– Affecting 40% of children and 30% of women in 2019, iron is one of the most common mineral deficiencies in the world. Iron deficiency is mostly caused by insufficient dietary iron intake, blood loss during menstruation, or other internal medical ailments. People with long-term iron deficiencies are at risk for developing anemia, a condition that lowers the amount of healthy red blood cells your body produces.
Vitamin B12– To function normally, every cell in our body needs Vitamin B12. However, the only source of dietary B12 available to humans comes from meat and dairy. For that reason, vegans and vegetarians, along with the elderly and infants, are the most at risk for this deficiency. To allow our bodies to function their best, we must have all the nutrients we need in the proper quantities.
Supplements are an effective way to address these key deficiencies and lead to more optimal performance.
How to Conquer Vitamin Deficiencies Through Genetic and Blood Testing
Today, there are better (and safer) ways to treat vitamin deficiencies than running to your local pharmacy and wiping out the supplement aisle. Self-supplementing can be very dangerous, as ingesting too much of one nutrient can have harmful effects. The only safe way to diagnose a deficiency is through medical testing.
Genetic testing and blood testing are the keys to knowing what you’re deficient in before introducing anything new to your body’s system. At 10X Health, we leverage these detailed tests to identify and confirm nutrient deficiencies. Let’s break down what these two tests are and how they work:
Genetic Testing: Gene testing, otherwise known as methylation testing, provides you with the most comprehensive snapshot of your body’s health. We utilize this highly specialized genetic test to identify gene breaks that prevent the body from processing and using nutrients we eat or take through supplements. While many people are educated on the importance of vitamins, unless you know how your body responds to them and the genetic mutations that may be preventing your body from properly utilizing them, you may not be receiving the benefits you could be.
Blood Testing: Blood tests allow you to see the exact levels of nutrients circulating in your bloodstream. 10X Health uses these results, with over 70 biomarkers, to identify vitamin deficiencies and how those deficiencies may be impacting your life and your well-being. For a mineral like iron, which cannot be accurately evaluated through a single biomarker, such comprehensive tests are the only way to get accurate results. After completing both a gene test and blood test, we can create a customized 10X Health supplement protocol unique to your body.
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Let us help you start the journey toward better health with our scientifically backed methods. Ordering a comprehensive genetic test and checking out 10X Health supplements are the first steps to pinpoint and conquer your deficiencies.
