What Are the Most Common Vitamin Deficiencies in the U.S.?
Ever wonder if your diet is giving you all the nutrients your body needs for a long, happy, and healthy life? If you struggle with excess weight, feel frequently tired, or get sick too often, you may be vitamin deficient, but you’re not alone. the fact is, there are quite a few common vitamin deficiencies in the U.S. today.
The good news is that The Golden Dose can help you give your body the nutrients it needs with essential vitamin supplements that you can take with the approval of your medical provider alongside eating a diverse and healthy diet.
6 Vitamins Americans Aren’t Getting Enough Of
So, what are the most common vitamin deficiencies in the U.S.? Let’s explore the top six vitamins that Americans are lacking and how you can add them to your diet.
Iron: The Oxygen Carrier
This essential mineral is responsible for transporting oxygen to all of your body’s cells. Because of this, an iron deficiency is often evidenced by a condition called anemia, which reduces the body’s ability to transport oxygen. Those that are anemic often experience feelings of weakness, fatigue, chest pain, cold hands and feet, and even dizziness and shortness of breath.
What You Can Do if You’re Iron Deficient:
The type of iron that is absorbed easily into the body is only present in meat, with some of the most iron-rich meats being shellfish, organ meat, and red meat.
You can probably guess that what this means is that those with vegetarian and vegan diets may struggle with iron deficiency. While there are some plant-based foods that contain iron, the iron isn’t absorbed as well as the iron in meats.
Animal-free foods that contain iron include:
Leafy greens
Seeds
Beans
Vitamin C can also help to enhance the absorption of iron. This means that eating foods like citrus, peppers, and kale (or a Vitamin C supplement) along with iron supplements and less absorbable iron-rich foods will help non-meat eaters get the iron they need.
Calcium: The Bone Strengthener
Calcium is vital to bone and teeth health, particularly in children who are growing. Your bones store excess calcium and release it when your diet is lacking in the vitamin. That’s why the most common result of calcium deficiency is osteoporosis and fragile bones that are easily broken.
What You Can Do if You’re Calcium Deficient:
Foods that are rich in calcium include dairy products, salmon, and almonds. There are also some foods – like certain brands of orange juice – that are fortified with calcium to give you a boost, but those who are deficient should take calcium supplements to ensure strong bones and healthy teeth.
Vitamin D: Building Up Your Muscles and Bones
Another essential nutrient for your bones as well as your muscles is Vitamin D. We get a good amount of this vitamin from sun exposure, which is why those in cooler climates often suffer with Vitamin D deficiency.
What You Can Do if You’re Vitamin D Deficient:
There aren’t a lot of foods that contain a ton of Vitamin D, which is why a lot of milk brands fortify their product with it. However, fatty fishes, egg yolks, and cod liver oil are the best dietary sources for Vitamin D.
If you live in a cooler climate and are vegan or vegetarian, it’s a good idea to take Vitamin D supplements to protect your bone and muscle health.
Vitamin B12: Essential for Blood Formation and Brain Function
Yet another vitamin found solely in animal products, Vitamin B12 assists your brain and nerve function as well as you blood formation. Since it’s found in meats and dairy only, those who follow a vegan diet are at the highest risk of deficiency.
What You Can Do if You’re Vitamin B12 Deficient:
Your body cannot produce this vitamin, so it’s essential to consume it in either your diet or in Vitamin B12 supplements. Shellfish, meat, milk products, and eggs are the best sources of this vitamin, but there are also some seaweeds that have a small amount of B12 in them.
Iodine: For Thyroid Health
The hormones produced by your thyroid are responsible for regulating your metabolic rate as well as bodily processes that help maintain your bone health and brain development. Symptoms of an iodine deficiency include weight gain, an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and sometimes even the development of goiters.
What You Can Do if You’re Iodine Deficient:
Fish, eggs, dairy, and seaweed are all foods that contain good amounts of iron, and table salt is also sometimes fortified with iodine. You can add these foods to your regular diet or take iodine supplements to address an iodine deficiency.
Magnesium: The All-Around Mind and Body Health Vitamin
Magnesium has a ton of benefits for your body. It helps with healthy sleep, improves mental clarity and moods, boosts energy, and even helps with digestive regularity. Magnesium deficiency is often the cause of migraines, muscle cramps, and chronic fatigue.
What You Can Do if You’re Magnesium Deficient:
Foods that are rich in magnesium include leafy greens, nuts, whole grains, and dark chocolate, and you can also take magnesium supplements to boost the presence of this essential vitamin in your body.
Get the Nutrients Your Body Needs from the Golden Dose!
It can be difficult to eat a health, balanced diet that gives your body all the vitamins and nutrients it needs. Even in our current age – where medical knowledge is vast and we know more than we’ve ever known about the importance of a healthy diet – a significant percentage of Americans are vitamin deficient.
The good news? The Golden Dose can help. You can take control of your health by taking quality vitamin supplements that will have you feeling your best in no time.
This article is meant as a general means of information and not meant in any way to treat, cure, or diagnose. As with all dietary supplements, it is best to speak with a licensed medical professional for accurate supplement recommendations.