Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms: A well-balanced and nutritious diet has many health benefits. Apart from keeping your vitals functioning, it also helps keep you fit. On the other hand, eating foods that lack nutrients can lead to various unpleasant symptoms or even serious adverse effects.

According to Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a Gastroenterologist and Internal Medicine specialist from Harvard, the symptoms of nutrient deficiency are your body’s way of communicating potential vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Here are a few tell-tale signs you must not ignore.

“This indicates a deficiency of protein and iron in your diet,” Dr. Sethi explained on his social media handle. Studies say biotin, or vitamin B7, also causes brittle nails. Biotin helps your body convert food into energy.

Adults with brittle nails must include adequate amounts of protein, iron, and biotin in their diets – around 30 micrograms, but you must always consult with your doctor first. Eat lots of eggs, and green vegetables like spinach, nuts, seeds, broccoli, and sweet potatoes to get over this problem.

“It indicates magnesium deficiency which is critical for transmitting nerve impulses,” he said. Lack of magnesium – which helps improve your mood, sleep, exercise performance, and blood sugar regulation, also causes muscle cramps, tension in the neck and shoulders, and cardiac arrhythmia.

To get over the deficit of this nutrient, eat lots of peanuts, spinach, sunflower seeds, millet, rice, beans, and oatmeal. You can also consult with your healthcare provider to take magnesium supplements – 250-400 mg of magnesium oxide daily to get over muscle spasms, which can be painful and discomforting.

This could be a warning sign of low levels of vitamin D, which is extremely important for your bone health and strength and helps improve flexibility. According to Dr. Sethi, a deficiency of this nutrient weakens bones and joints, leading to inflammation and cracking sounds. In the long-term it even leads to arthritis.

However, it can also happen due to a lack of calcium, which impedes the healing process of joint repair and leads to bone cracking sounds and joint pain. To get over the loss, Dr. Sethi recommends taking supplements of vitamin D, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.

Premature greying of hair and hair fall are very common symptoms of 50 per cent youngsters these days. According to Dr. Sethi, “This could indicate a deficiency of vitamin B12, which is crucial for RBC production and oxygen transport at the hair follicles.

Meat, fish, eggs, legumes, dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good sources of vitamin B12. You can also take vitamin and mineral supplements that help you with long and strong hair. However, Dr. Sethi says greying of hair could also be due to “copper deficiency which is responsible for melanin production imparting colour to your hair.” Increase copper in your diet by eating lots of oysters, mushrooms, cashews, sunflower seeds, and potatoes.

Lesions in and around the mouth or easy bruising on your skin may partly be linked to an insufficient intake of certain vitamins or minerals.

“This could mean you are running short of vitamin C which is responsible for collagen formation. It could also mean a deficiency of vitamin K1 which helps in blood clotting,” he said. You can add both vitamin C and K1 to your diet by eating papaya, citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, and mustard greens.

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