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It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of vitamins for human health. As a rule, they enter our body from food. In spring and winter, when the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables is significantly reduced, maintaining the necessary balance of vitamins becomes difficult, which leads to poor health and weakening of the body.
What is vitamin deficiency
Vitamin deficiency is a disease caused by a lack of vitamins in the human body. Its main reason is malnutrition, when one or another group of vitamins is missing or completely absent in food. Less often, the underlying ailment may be a digestive system disease that impedes the normal absorption of trace elements.
If a person does not eat food of animal origin, he can observe a deficiency of vitamins A, D and E, with a lack of plant foods in the diet - C and B.
Signs and symptoms of vitamin deficiency
Common symptoms of vitamin deficiency include:
- dry skin cracks in the corners of the lips;
- soft, flaky nails, the appearance of light spots on the nail plates;
- irritability, fatigue, loss of strength, insomnia;
- bleeding gums;
- decreased libido.
Signs of a lack of essential vitamin groups
With vitamin A deficiency, the skin and eyesight of a person are primarily affected. Dry eyes appear, redness of the eyeballs, the quality of vision at dusk may deteriorate ("night blindness"). The skin begins to peel off, the appearance of abscesses and ulcers is possible.
Vitamin deficiency in the group will manifest itself as insomnia, irritability, general weakness, loss of appetite and, in this regard, a decrease in body weight. Headaches can be a frequent occurrence.
Vitamin C deficiency is characterized by weakness, bleeding gums and frequent bruising on the body, even from light strokes. A sharp decrease in immunity will lead to an increase in colds and viral diseases.
A lack of vitamin D causes brittle teeth and bones, pain in muscles and joints and, if untreated, contributes to the development of diabetes, hypertension and even cancer. But the vitamin deficiency of this group in young children is of particular danger. The baby increases sweating, he does not show interest in games, his bone apparatus is formed with disorders and rickets develops.
Malfunctions of the digestive system, pain in the liver and lack of sexual desire are manifested in vitamin deficiency group E.
An insufficient amount of PP vitamins worsens the functioning of the digestive organs. A person loses his appetite, suffers from diarrhea or constipation, feels dry in his mouth. The skin turns red and roughened. In severe cases of vitamin deficiency, convulsions may occur.
How to get rid of vitamin deficiency
The easiest way to get rid of vitamin deficiency is to take vitamin complexes. The doctor, evaluating the patient’s condition, will select the necessary dosage of vitamins and tell a quality drug.
Synthetic vitamins have several advantages over their natural counterparts. Firstly, they do not cause allergic reactions. Secondly, the latest vitamin complexes are developed taking into account the effects of one vitamin on another, which makes their work more efficient. So, for example, vitamins A and E are important to take together, as the latter helps better absorption of the former. Conversely, balanced complexes should not contain vitamin E and D at the same time because of their poor compatibility.
The optimal time of day for taking vitamins is morning.It is more correct to do this immediately after breakfast, since most vitamins are better absorbed by food. Capsules need to be washed down with plain water. Soda, coffee, juice or milk can interfere with the absorption of vitamins.
It is necessary to take drugs strictly observing the dosage specified in the instructions. The constant excess of the daily requirement of the body for vitamins can lead to another ailment - hypervitaminosis.
Treatment of vitamin deficiency at home
In order to saturate your body with vitamins morning tea, try replacing a decoction of lingonberry and currant leaves or rose hips with the addition of lemon juice.
With multivitaminosis (a lack of several groups of vitamins in the body), alternative medicine recommends the following recipe. Mix in a blender two bananas and oranges without zest, 100 g of dry wine, one lemon and grapefruit, 50 g of walnuts. One tablespoon of the mixture is recommended to be taken 3 times a day after meals.
Many scientists believe that vitamins are better absorbed by the body from food, and not from synthetic drugs. Therefore, at the first signs of vitamin deficiency, you should reconsider your diet:
- Apricots, fish oil, carrots and tomatoes will help fill the deficiency of vitamin A. Lovers of carrot juice, for better assimilation of nutrients, are advised to add a piece of butter or a tablespoon of fat cream to it.
- Meat, fatty fish, buckwheat, liver, legumes and peanuts are rich in vitamin B.
- Vitamin C deficiency can be replenished from citrus fruits, black currants, rose hips and kiwi.
- Vitamin D is found in seafood, oatmeal, parsley, butter, cheese, cottage cheese and other dairy products. In addition, the human body itself can reproduce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. In this case, a greater amount of vitamin enters the body under the morning and evening sun.
Sources of the largest number of different vitamins are eggs and nuts.
How to keep vitamins in foods
To preserve vitamins in fruits and vegetables, they must be stored in dark and cold places. Pay attention to the shelf life. Fresh foods contain more nutrients. During the hot period, most fruits and vegetables lose some vitamins 3 days after harvest.
Stocking up berries for the winter, you need to grind them with sugar before freezing.
Meat products and fish are not advised to cook and store in metal or enameled dishes that have chips.
Preventive measures
To prevent vitamin deficiency, you need to closely monitor the diet. Its basis should be fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grain bread and various cereals. Preference should be given to products with the lowest heat treatment.
Do not forget about meat products - important suppliers of vitamins of groups A and B. In the event of a complete rejection of food of animal origin, a person needs to replenish the body's nutrients with the help of medical complexes.
So, to fill the lack of vitamins is necessary for the physical and emotional health of a person. Remember that the demand for vitamins increases in the autumn and spring, with strong physical and mental stress, stress. When the first signs of vitamin deficiency appear, it is better to consult a doctor who, using special tests, will determine the cause of the ailment and advise the correct treatment.
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