Published: 01/26/2018 Updated: 03/09/2021
Vitamin deficiency can occur for a variety of reasons. The main ones include:
- monotonous diet;
- improper preparation of food;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- stressful conditions and nervous overload;
Vitamin B1
Cellular energy booster that promotes growth and development. Vitamin B1 increases mental and physical performance, improves detoxification function and metabolism in the nervous system. It also improves mood, has a mild analgesic and wound-healing effect.
Vitamin B1 deficiency causes various disorders in the nervous, cardiovascular and digestive systems. To compensate for its deficiency, include buckwheat, corn, cashews, and lentils in your diet.
Main symptoms of vitamin B1 deficiency
- loss of appetite;
- violation of movement coordination;
- depression, nervousness;
- weakening of cognitive functions (memory loss);
- muscle weakness.
An extreme form of vitamin deficiency is Beriberi disease, which damages the peripheral nerves or the cardiovascular system. As a result, muscles, especially the legs, become exhausted, severe pain appears in the calves, weakness develops, and gait worsens.
Causes of Vitamin B1 Deficiency
- constant consumption of refined products (high-grade flour and products made from it, polished rice);
- increased need for vitamin (pregnancy, breastfeeding, stress, physical activity, infections);
- chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis, antibiotic poisoning, alcoholism);
- smoking;
- Excessive consumption of tea and coffee, as caffeine destroys vitamin B1.
If you notice that your mood has worsened, cramps have appeared in the calf muscles, and your appetite has disappeared against the background of constant stress, perform the study 95-10-201 - Vitamin B1 (thiamine) in CITILAB. The analysis helps to identify vitamin B1 deficiency, prescribe medications in a timely manner and adjust the diet.
Forecast and preventive measures
Timely treatment of hypovitaminosis allows one to count on a complete recovery of the patient. A favorable prognosis is formed with moderate vitamin deficiency and normalization of the diet of a child or adult. Severe forms of vitamin deficiencies do not always allow the normal functioning of individual body systems to be restored. If left untreated, vitamin deficiency can be fatal.
Prevention of pathology is based on a balanced diet. Signs of vitamin deficiency will not appear in children and adults if they systematically consume a sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits, and herbs. In autumn and winter, you should include freshly squeezed juices, citrus fruits and sauerkraut in your diet.
Vitamin B5
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) has a stress-protective effect and is part of coenzyme A, which takes part in the metabolic processes of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Vitamin B5 is necessary for the synthesis of vital substances such as hemoglobin, cholesterol, histamine, acetylcholine. In addition, it activates the synthesis of glucocorticosteroids (adrenal hormones), which have immunoregulatory, antiallergic, and anti-inflammatory effects. It is important to understand that without pantothenic acid, other vitamins are poorly or not absorbed at all. Mackerel, sardines, tuna, sweet bell peppers, and pine nuts will help you add a portion of the vitamin to your diet.
Main symptoms of vitamin B5 deficiency
- fatigue, weakness, apathy;
- the appearance of a burning sensation in the toes, often numbness;
- with a severe deficiency, “burning feet” syndrome occurs - excruciating pain in the legs at night.
With a lack of pantothenic acid, the production of gastric juice decreases, heart function worsens, neuritis develops, and the risk of developing skin diseases and duodenal ulcers increases.
Causes of Vitamin B5 Deficiency
- long-term malnutrition (food poor in proteins, fats, vitamin C and B vitamins);
- suppression of intestinal microflora, including long-term use of antibiotics and sulfa drugs;
- intestinal diseases of various nature.
To promptly identify pantothenic acid deficiency, go to CITILAB study 95-10-202 - Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid).
Treatment of B vitamin deficiency
There are two types of correction of B vitamin deficiency: therapeutic and preventive.
Therapeutic tactics involve the use of high doses of B vitamins over long courses. The correction is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor in the presence of clinical and laboratory data confirming vitamin deficiency. Currently, primary nutritional deficiencies are rare. Basically, this form of deficiency of B vitamins develops against the background of pathology of the gastrointestinal tract or with hereditary disorders of vitamin metabolism. In this case, taking oral forms of drugs does not always have the expected therapeutic effect, so some groups of patients are prescribed injections of multi- or single-vitamin preparations.
Preventive tactics for eliminating deficiency of B vitamins involve taking medications in a dosage close to the daily requirement. Such therapy can be prescribed without proven vitamin deficiency.
Medical genetics diagnoses hereditary and acquired disorders of vitamin metabolism, which allows you to select tactics for correcting hypo- and avitaminosis.
Vitamin B6
Essentially, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is a metabolism “activator.” It is necessary for regulating the absorption of proteins, the exchange of amino acids involved in the synthesis of basic neurotransmitters and hemoglobin. With the participation of pyridoxine, glucose is delivered to cells, including brain cells. Vitamin B6 affects cognitive functions: improves memory, thinking, and also improves mood and helps resist stress.
Contained in many plant foods - bananas, nuts (pistachios, hazelnuts), avocados, beans, soybeans, beef liver. It is important to remember that with prolonged or improper heat treatment of foods, this vitamin is destroyed.
Main symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency
- fatigue, depression;
- hair loss;
- “jams” in the corners of the lips.
A clear lack of vitamin B6 reduces the synthesis of dopamine, serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and melatonin. This can lead to psychological and physiological disorders, insomnia, decreased intellectual abilities, irritability, apathy, or, conversely, aggressive behavior.
Causes of Vitamin B6 Deficiency
- weakened condition, including after surgery, serious illness;
- atherosclerosis;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- pregnancy;
- long-term excess consumption of protein foods;
- increased physical activity;
- liver diseases, gastritis;
- anemia.
If you notice that your hairstyle has become less voluminous, severe dry skin has appeared in the area of the nasolabial fold, above the eyebrows, in general the skin has become drier and rougher, cuts and scratches are slowly healing - do not put off visiting a doctor. The first thing you need to do is donate blood to CITILAB for research 95-10-203 Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), which will help determine whether there is a deficiency of vitamin B6 in the body or whether there is enough of it.
AT 6
Signs of vitamin B6 deficiency include a variety of symptoms, such as irritability/lethargy, decreased appetite/nausea, very dry skin (sicca) and others. These and other clinical signs of vitamin B6 deficiency begin to appear quite quickly, even possibly within a few weeks of deficient intake, or due to high consumption of vitamin B6. With B6 deficiency, the synthesis of hemoglobin and the absorption of iron from food deteriorate, the formation of antibodies decreases, and the processes of carbohydrate metabolism slow down. Due to a lack of vitamins, the following also develop:
- digestive problems - irritable bowel syndrome, stomatitis, seizures;
- skin problems - oily seborrhea of the A-zone, rashes on the wings of the nose, around the mouth and eyes;
- anemia;
- problems with the central nervous system - epileptic seizures, insomnia, emotionality, depression;
- polyneuropathy, mainly sensory.
In combination, vitamin B6 deficiency leads to serious problems with mental and motor activity, provokes the development of serious damage to the central nervous system, and complicates recovery after heart attacks, strokes and surgical interventions.
Vitamin B12
Vitamins B12 are a whole group of cobalt-containing biologically active substances. One of the main ones in it is cyanocobalamin. It is involved in the production of red blood cells and the process of hematopoiesis. Contained mainly in products of animal origin - meat, milk, eggs. Therefore, deficiency is most often observed in people following a strict vegetarian diet, in pregnant women who require an increased amount of B12, as well as in atrophic gastritis and chronic inflammatory diseases of the small intestine.
Main symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
- numbness of the limbs;
- muscle weakness;
- visual disturbances (double vision, blurred outlines of objects);
- pale skin;
- memory loss.
With a lack of vitamin B12, there is a risk of developing thrombosis and the functioning of the autonomic nervous system is disrupted.
The cause of vitamin B12 deficiency is insufficient absorption in the intestines. This may be due to a violation of the internal factor in the stomach, the development of pathogenic microflora, which can interfere with absorption in the stomach.
With age, after 40 years, the absorption of vitamin B12 becomes worse, so it is important to promptly identify its deficiency in order to prevent serious illnesses. To do this, go to CITILAB study 33-20-045 - vitamin B.
Be healthy!
How to cope with vitamin B1 hypovitaminosis?
Treatment of hypovitaminosis B1 is based on the inclusion of foods rich in vitamin B1 in the diet, as well as the use of preparations of this vitamin (for example, thiamine bromide). In addition, it will be useful to use a dietary supplement from La Cree - a multivitamin gel for children. Thanks to its balanced natural composition, it strengthens the immune system and has a good effect on the condition of organs suffering from a lack of vitamin B1 - the liver and heart.
Sources:
- Dermatology: an illustrated guide to clinical diagnostics according to Professor A.N. Rodionov. / Rodionov A.N., Zaslavsky D.V., Sydikov A.A. Edited by Professor A.N. Rodionova.M.: Border. 2021.- 944 p.
- Skin diseases of newborns and infants. Guide for doctors / Gorlanov I. A., Leina L. M., Milyavskaya I. R., Zaslavsky D. V. St. Petersburg: Folio. 2021.-208 p.
- Clinical reader on pediatric dermatology: Textbook / Kochergin N. G., Gorlanov I. A., Zaslavsky D. V., Olisova O. Yu., Leina L. M., Milyavskaya I. R. M.: Practical medicine 2021 .-127 p.
Photos of vitamin deficiency
You can see photos of vitamin deficiency on our website.
Deficiency Symptoms
At first there are no specific symptoms. Weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath and palpitations during physical activity - all this happens with a host of other diseases. How can we determine what caused these symptoms: a lack of vitamin or something else? First, think about whether there are real reasons for such problems. Secondly, analyze your diet - does it contain enough foods with vitamin B₁ (see table). If there is no reason, and the composition of the products is not ideal, most likely the problem is in the vitamin.
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