What vitamins do people lack in spring? All about spring vitamin deficiency

The loudest symptoms of vitamin deficiency (lack of vitamins in the body) are weakness, fatigue, you constantly want to sleep and don’t want to work at all.

The fact that there are few vitamins in the body can be demonstrated by the largest human organ by area – the skin. It begins to turn red, become covered with wrinkles, peel off, and sometimes becomes uneven in color or turns pale.

The eyes can also tell a lot about a lack of vitamins. The whites of the eyes are dull, covered with a network of red veins. You quickly get tired when working at the computer, and you begin to see poorly.

Your head will also tell you that your vitamin menu is very poor. It may hurt, you may feel dizzy, your hair may fall out, and you may be bothered by constant temporal pain.

Lips are an excellent mirror of a lack of vitamins in the diet. Cracks, boils, so-called pustules, and herpes may appear on them, which is difficult to get rid of.

Your tongue, teeth and gums are also an indicator of whether everything is in order with your vitamin diet. If there are not enough vitamins, the tongue may swell and hurt, the gums may bleed even with gentle pressure or even just like that, teeth tend to become loose and fall out.

If you notice at least one of these symptoms or all of them at once, immediately go to the doctor for examination. He will prescribe you vitamins in the right doses, combinations and ratios. Because if you decide to take vitamins all at once, hypervitaminosis (hypovitaminosis) can manifest itself in the same way as a lack of vitamins - by malfunctioning of the body.

What vitamins are you missing the most?

According to surveys, the worst situation is with a lack of vitamin C - ascorbic or folic acid. More than 70% of children and the same number of adults lack this vitamin in their bodies. A deficiency of this vitamin causes the most harm to pregnant and elderly people, whose bodies are most vulnerable to any kind of infection and cold-causing agents.

More than half of our country's population lacks B vitamins. If we talk separately about vitamin B6, its deficiency worries almost 90% of expectant mothers.

What to do if there is a lack of vitamins?

First you need to know that one vitamin it won't work out. If by all indications you have a vitamin deficiency, then most likely it is not just one, but a whole complex.

Pay attention to your menu. If you stop eating animal food, then you will probably have a deficiency of vitamins E, A, D, which you get from it.

If you are a meat eater and do not really respect plant foods, then you will most likely be deficient in vitamin C and some B vitamins.

What to do in this case?

Be sure to balance your diet and do not starve yourself for a long time on mono-diets - this will not bring good results. You will disrupt the metabolic processes in the body, deprive you of useful substances, but you will still regain the lost kilograms within a few days.

Return to your diet all the necessary foods from which you get vitamins: meat, milk, eggs,

Be sure to visit a doctor who will help you choose pharmacy vitamins based on your age, physical activity and work schedule.

Be healthy and do not self-medicate. Your vitamins are in your hands.

Most likely, there is not enough vitamin C, or, as they also like to call it, ascorbic acid. With its deficiency, we become lethargic, get tired quickly, catch colds very often and recover slowly. And if, in addition, at the slightest injury, bruises appear on the body, which then do not go away for a long time, the probability of vitamin C hypovitaminosis is almost 100%.

Sources of vitamin C: to make up for the lack of ascorbic acid, lean on citrus fruits (unless, of course, you are allergic), chokeberry, green onions, Bell pepper, tomatoes, broccoli, sauerkraut. A lot of vitamin C is contained in rosehip decoction and kiwi fruits.

How to deal with vitamin deficiency, watch the video:

2. Eyes often turn red, pockets appear in the corners of the mouth, lips dry out and crack, hair and nails become brittle, hair also becomes dull, and its ends begin to split.

Most likely, there are not enough B vitamins. Other signs of their hypovitaminosis often also include irritability and insomnia.

Sources of B vitamins: To provide the body with a sufficient amount of them, in the spring, eat more fermented milk products, as well as eggs, meat by-products (especially beef kidneys and liver), nuts, mackerel, buckwheat, and legumes. But such sources of B vitamins as beets, carrots and different kinds cabbage will not help much in the fight against spring vitamin deficiency: by the end of winter there are very few vitamins left in them.

The program experts will tell you more about how to choose the right vegetables and fruits in the store, how to “by eye” determine how many vitamins they contain, and what is good or bad about organic products. "Beauty Week".

3. Vision decreases, eyes become very tired in the evening, become red or watery, and the skin becomes dry.

Most likely, there is not enough vitamin A, responsible for visual acuity, youth, firmness and elasticity of the skin, as well as hair shine.

Sources of vitamin A: in the spring this is, first of all, fatty fish, eggs, carrots, sweet peppers (just don’t forget that provitamin A, which gives orange vegetables their bright color, is converted to vitamin A only in the presence of fats). However, the longer the path of bright fruits to the table was, the less vitamins they contained. There are practically none of them in peaches or apricots brought from overseas. So until the fruit and berry season begins, to combat spring vitamin deficiency, include greens in your menu more often. Sorrel, spinach, parsley and dill are especially rich in vitamin A.

Alexey Kovalkov

nutritionist, presenter of the programs “Food with and without rules”, “Family Size”

It is important to understand that vitamins and microelements do not act alone, they work as a team. Therefore, the most rational way is to take them not separately, but in the form of balanced vitamin complexes.

4. Memory, attention and ability to concentrate have noticeably deteriorated, the skin has become dry and very sensitive.

Most likely, there is not enough vitamin E, or tocopherol - it improves the supply of oxygen to brain cells, helps cope with intense mental and physical stress, and is responsible for maintaining the water balance of the skin.

Sources of vitamin E: in the spring, look for it in cabbage, spinach, lettuce, eggs, beef liver, lean meats, and vegetable oils. So even if you go on a diet to lose weight for the summer, be sure to season your salads with at least a small amount of oil, preferably olive, flaxseed, grape seeds or pumpkin seeds. And, if you don't use bottled water, be sure to filter and settle your tap water before cooking. Even a small amount of chlorine (and in the spring, tap water is chlorinated especially strongly) destroys vitamin E.

5. Hair and nails have become brittle, hair has lost its shine, there is a feeling of weakness and anxiety, “ache” in the bones, and appetite is deteriorating.

Most likely there is not enough vitamin D.

Sources of vitamin D: in the spring it’s dairy products, eggs and fish. And walk even more often in sunny weather, and then spring vitamin deficiency will not be scary, because this vitamin is perfectly produced in the body under the influence of ultraviolet radiation!

6. Bruises under the eyes have become more noticeable, scratches on the skin take a long time to bleed and heal poorly, and there are also complaints of increased fatigue and disturbances in intestinal function.

Most likely, there is not enough vitamin K, responsible for vascular tone and regulating the processes of hematopoiesis and blood coagulation in our body.

Sources of vitamin K: in the spring it is primarily frozen green vegetables, especially broccoli and spinach. Freshly brewed green tea is also a great year-round source of vitamin K!

7. By the evening, your legs feel like cast iron, even slight physical exertion tires you, when you “stretch,” pain appears in your ankles, and muscle cramps periodically occur.

Most likely there is not enough magnesium. Since this mineral is necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses from the brain to the muscles and back, even not strong, but systematic muscle cramps or muscle pain of unknown origin can be one of the main symptoms that the body suffers from its deficiency.

Sources of magnesium: in the spring these are dried fruits (especially dried apricots), nuts, mushrooms (but not canned). Also keep in mind that excess calcium interferes with the absorption of magnesium, so too much dairy in your diet may not always be beneficial for your health. And give up carbonated drinks, even regular unsweetened mineral water: the orthophosphoric acid it contains “leashes” magnesium from the body.

8. Dandruff, increased oily skin, worsening acne, low hemoglobin.

Most likely, there is not enough selenium and zinc.

Sources of zinc and selenium: In spring, it is better to look for these microelements not in vegetables, but in seafood, fish, nuts and seeds. For example, 150-200 g of cod or pink salmon will provide the daily norm of selenium, and 200 g of shrimp or squid will provide us with the daily norm of selenium.

9. Anemia, frequent colds, swelling, apathy, lethargy, weakness and muscle pain in the arms, radiculitis, drowsiness, frequent headaches, weight gain.

Most likely there is not enough iodine. Without a sufficient amount of this microelement, normal activity of the thyroid gland and the entire endocrine system is simply impossible.

Sources of iodine: In the spring, trying to find this microelement in vegetables and fruits is useless. Load up on fish, seafood and seaweed!

Spring time is considered the most wonderful time of the year, when the leaves bloom on the trees, green grass appears, birds chirp, and the air is dizzyingly fresh. However, all this can be overshadowed by spring vitamin deficiency, which appears in most people of all age categories and social classes.

Vitamin deficiency is a condition of the body in which, in the absence of one or more vitamins, a specific disease or a number of pathological conditions develop. Spring vitamin deficiency is treated immediately before it develops into more serious problems. Flaw nutrients may cause the development of cancer or serious cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it is very important to recognize incipient vitamin deficiency at the earliest stage of its development.

Symptoms of vitamin deficiency

The most common symptoms of spring vitamin deficiency are:

• apathy and decreased performance;
• irritability, constant stress on the verge of a nervous breakdown in the absence of an obvious cause;
• Bad mood;
• fatigue and weakness persists after eight hours of rest;
• splitting of nails and hair loss are very often observed with spring vitamin deficiency;
• decreased vision;
• dyspeptic manifestations of the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, vomiting, weight loss);
• frequent and protracted respiratory viral diseases, occurring mainly with any complications;
• excessive dryness of the skin, manifested by flaking, is considered the first;
• formation of bruises and hematomas with minor bruises of the body;
• bleeding gums when brushing teeth;
• often formed jams in the corners of the mouth;
• decreased concentration and memory.

If the above symptoms appear, you should immediately seek help from a qualified specialist to identify deficient microelements and prescribe a number of therapeutic measures aimed at replenishing their reserves.

The main causes of vitamin deficiency

In spring, vitamin deficiency occurs in 85% of the population. There are a number of specific reasons for this statistic. The main ones are:

• reduced content of vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables due to the greenhouse conditions in which they grow;
• great content chemical substances in food products;
• heat treatment reduces the number of necessary elements by up to 70%;
• violation of metabolic processes;
• disease of the digestive system very often becomes an obstacle to the normal absorption of many nutrients;
• spring vitamin deficiency most often occurs due to an imbalance of intestinal microflora, which adversely affects the absorption of beneficial microelements;
• age-related changes in the body can interfere with the absorption of vitamins and minerals;
• some features of the child’s body due to impaired absorption in the small and large intestines;
• use large quantity medications significantly reduce the content and composition of vitamins in the human body;
• increased need for nutrients, which occurs when women are carrying a child, during intense sports and during the recovery of the body after serious illnesses.

Lack of vitamins in spring is a very common phenomenon, but knowledge about possible reasons their deficiency, in some cases helps prevent the development and aggravation of pathological symptoms.

Diseases that occur due to a lack of certain vitamins

Due to a lack of a particular vitamin, characteristic clinical symptoms develop; accordingly, only by subjective and objective data can a doctor determine which element is missing.

Vitamin A

A decrease or absence of vitamin A (retinol) content is mainly reflected in the visual apparatus. Many have heard about night blindness, that is, visual acuity decreases significantly with the onset of darkness. In spring, vitamin deficiency manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• feeling of sand in the eyes;
• burning;
• discomfort associated with drying out of the mucous membrane of the eye.

Retinol vitamin deficiency also worsens the condition of the skin, which causes the appearance of peeling on the face and body and the formation of areas of inflammation in the form of abscesses. There is also a decrease in immunity, disorders appear nervous system, especially in children in preschool age, which makes it possible to recognize spring vitamin deficiency.

B vitamins

This group contains 8 vital vitamins that are involved in many various reactions human body. Each representative of the group has a purposeful action. Here's a short description:

• B1 (thiamine) is actively involved in metabolic processes and the transformation of carbohydrates;
• B2 (riboflavin) ensures the function of vision, skin and mucous membrane, participates in the synthesis of hemoglobin;
• B3 (nicotinic acid) is involved in the absorption of proteins and fats;
• B5 (pantothenic acid) accelerates the healing process and synthesizes antibodies;
• B6 (pyridoxine) regulates the functioning of the nervous system, participates in carbohydrate metabolism and hemoglobin synthesis;
• B7 (biotin) ensures energy metabolism;
• AT 8 ( folic acid) participates in the development of the immune and hematopoietic systems, is responsible for normal growth in children;
• B12 (cyanocobalamin) plays a global role in the formation of red blood cells.

Certain foods and nutritionist recommendations regarding their use will help prevent group B vitamin deficiency in the spring. Ignoring the symptoms is fraught with the development of insomnia, mood swings, attacks of aggression, digestive system disorders and skin defects.

Vitamin C

Patients with spring vitamin deficiency are characterized by a lack of vitamin C, which is manifested by frequent colds, decreased skin turgor, bleeding gums, increased permeability of the vascular wall, and in severe cases – tooth loss, internal bleeding and death.

Vitamin D

Disturbances in the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system are associated with vitamin D deficiency.

Usually in the spring, vitamin deficiency manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• brittle bones and tooth loss in adults;
• rickets, fatigue, disturbances in the formation and growth of the skeleton and teeth in children;
• risk of development diabetes mellitus and oncological pathologies;
• development of hypertension.

Such pathological manifestations are much easier to prevent by eating foods that contain the necessary element.

Vitamin E

Vitamin deficiency of this microelement can cause sexual weakness in men and lack of pregnancy in women. There are also significant disturbances in liver function, that is, its cells tend to degenerate into fatty cells, which is considered the initial stage of cirrhosis.

Prevention measures

To prevent spring vitamin deficiency, you should adhere to the following recommendations of a nutritionist:

• varied diet;
• minimal use of heat treatment;
• maximum consumption of fruits and vegetables, preferably locally grown;
• the frequency of meals should be 5-6 times;
• restrictions are imposed only on sugar and fats.

To treat spring vitamin deficiency, the use of synthetic vitamins is quite acceptable. But the main way to fight will always be fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables and herbs. It should be noted that with the arrival of spring, the amount of nutrients in products of plant origin is equal to almost 20-30% of the original composition, which cannot satisfy the needs of the human body.

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The lack of vitamins greatly affects the functioning of the body, well-being, and performance. Usually at the end of winter everyone notes apathy, loss of strength, and indifference. If vitamin deficiency occurred in the summer, an abundance of vegetables and fruits could help, but at the beginning of spring there are still no fresh healthy gifts of nature, and you have to resort to artificial vitamin complexes.

Signs of vitamin deficiency

In order to understand which vitamins to take, you need to find out which vitamins you are missing.

Most of all in the spring, the human body lacks vitamins A, C, D, E and the entire group B. How does this manifest itself?

Vitamin A deficiency

Many will be surprised, but the easiest way to recognize a lack of vitamin A is by the so-called “night blindness”. If, during a sharp transition from a street where the bright sun is shining, say, into your house, you look closely for about 10 seconds and try to look at anything for about 10 seconds, the supply of vitamin A is very small, if it takes you about 20 seconds to look closely - You need to see a doctor urgently! In addition, usually a person with vitamin A deficiency has dry skin, split ends, and cracks in the corners of the mouth.

Vitamin C deficiency

It manifests itself in the fragility of blood vessels, bruises often appear on the body, even from minor injuries, the immune system is also weakened, and viral diseases plague. Anemia may develop because iron cannot be absorbed without sufficient vitamin C. In addition, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and helps eliminate toxins.

Vitamin D deficiency

Leads to brittle bones, since without vitamin D calcium absorption is not possible. A lack of vitamin D is especially dangerous for children, as it causes a disease such as rickets. Vitamin D deficiency occurs, among other things, due to the fact that most of the autumn-winter period it is cloudy outside, there is no sun, and our body does not produce this vitamin on its own.

Vitamin E deficiency

It affects the quality of the skin, it loses elasticity and wrinkles appear. They don't go well recovery processes, for example, wounds take a long time to heal.

B vitamins

B vitamins are responsible for almost all functions of the body. Their shortage is the most noticeable and dangerous. B1 is responsible for the nervous system and heart rhythm. A lack of vitamin is manifested by a complete loss of strength, mental disorders, and heart pain. B2 deficiency is manifested by the appearance of cracks and ulcers on the mucous membranes, lips, and nose. Many people in the spring are bothered by herpes on and near their lips - this is also a manifestation of vitamin B2 deficiency.

Vitamin B6 is destroyed by taking strong medications and by intestinal dysfunction. It manifests itself as skin problems - rashes, peeling.

A lack of vitamin B12 leads to anemia, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, and a feeling of numbness in the arms or legs.

And the last important vitamin of group B is B9, or as it is also called, folic acid. She is responsible for the functioning of the nervous system. Its peculiarity is that it is eliminated from the body very quickly, especially in those who smoke, drink alcohol, and are constantly nervous.

To reduce the consequences of vitamin deficiency, you need to take a detailed blood test, determine the deficiency of elements in the body, and select the optimal vitamin complex with your doctor. Nowadays, pharmacy chains offer many such complexes. They are divided into women's, men's, for the elderly, for children, in general, everyone can find the most suitable option for themselves. Do not forget about a balanced diet; it is useful to consume compotes from frozen berries, dried fruits, and rosehip decoction. One clove of garlic for lunch won't hurt. Apples are very healthy, some even consider them the healthiest among all fruits, nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried apricots, raisins, and prunes.

What interferes with the absorption of vitamins

• alcohol;
• hormonal drugs (for example, birth control);
• stress;

What you need to know when taking vitamins

• vitamin C should be used with caution by people with a high salt content in the body;
• vitamins A and E improve the absorption of each other, and they are also both fat-soluble, which is why in a glass carrot juice you need to add a spoonful of butter or cream;
• calcium should be taken only with vitamin D;
• Vitamin C is taken with iron supplements for anemia;
• Vitamin D is needed when there is not enough ultraviolet radiation, in the sun human body produces it himself;

Not worth taking vitamin complexes on one's own. Sometimes our subjective perception may be wrong, and vitamins will not bring the expected benefits. In addition, an excess of vitamins is no less harmful than a deficiency, which is why it is so important to determine the level of vitamins in the body before taking vitamins.

Avitaminosis

Avitaminosis - lack of vitamins in the body - most often a seasonal phenomenon. And many experience it in the spring.

Experts explain this “disease” by the fact that during the winter we do not get enough vitamins from food, and also natural features our country (for example, there is much less sunlight in winter than in other seasons).

The reserves of vitamins obtained in summer and autumn are simply exhausted. The vitamins most easily absorbed by the body are found in plant foods - fruits and vegetables, and they are in short supply in the spring.

What is your body missing?
There are simple tests that can help you determine which vitamins are missing in your body. You just have to listen carefully to yourself.

1. Extend your arms, palms up, and bend the last two knuckles of the four fingers on both hands simultaneously until the fingertips touch the palm (do not bend the joint between the fingers and the palm). If you cannot perform this exercise well, this indicates a deficiency of vitamin B6.

2. If you notice that even with mild injuries you have bruises that do not go away for a long time, then most likely this is due to a lack of vitamin C in the body.

3. Do you constantly suffer from dizziness and tinnitus? This is caused by a lack of vitamins B3 and E, as well as the trace elements manganese and potassium.

4. Red eyes and inability to quickly adapt in the dark are sometimes explained by a lack of vitamins A and B2.

5. Dandruff appears when there is a deficiency of vitamins B12, B6, P and selenium.

6. Has your hair suddenly become dull and brittle? This is a sign of a lack of vitamins B9, C and H.

7. The cause of insomnia may be a deficiency of B vitamins, potassium and calcium.

Where are vitamins found?

In order for vitamin treatment to be both tasty and healthy, remember what vitamins contain and put these products on your table more often.

Vitamins and minerals. What does it contain:
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) :
Cherries, papaya, oranges, broccoli, cabbage, grapefruit, strawberries, kiwi, melon, black currant.
Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol):
almonds, hazelnuts, mayonnaise, egg yolk, peas, sea buckthorn, eggs, flour, cereals, bread, butter, sunflower, olive.
Beta carotene (carotenoid):
dark green and yellow-orange vegetables: carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, parsley, asparagus, pumpkin, papaya, apricots, melon, broccoli.
Vitamin A :
Milk, eggs, liver, fish fat, cheese, butter, margarine.
Flavonoids:
Strawberries, rose hips, blueberries, viburnum, raspberries, chokeberries, green tea leaves, citrus fruits, walnuts, rosemary, sage, red wine.
Selenium:
Seafood, kidneys, liver
Coenzyme Q10:
Fish, nuts, lean meat, foods with polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Vitamin deficiency can be prevented. The main means of combating this is a balanced diet, thanks to which the body receives the necessary components - proteins, fats, carbohydrates.

You can’t sit on just potatoes and pasta. Without fats and protein, normal functioning of the body is impossible. Energy value meat is ten times higher than the same amount of plant food, and it is much easier to digest. This is especially important in our long and harsh winter.

But you can’t live without fruits and vegetables either. They contain vitamins in the most easily digestible form. You just need to remember that by spring, even in winter varieties adapted for long-term storage, vitamins are destroyed. This is where autumn supplies will come to the rescue, if you have time to make them.

Jam, compotes, sauerkraut, pickled tomatoes and cucumbers - all this is not only tasty, but also healthy. Yes, in berries and fruits, at the time of their heat treatment, many useful material, but those that have survived have survived for a really long time. And in sauerkraut, not subjected to heating and boiling, vitamins C, B, A of the previous year are preserved until summer.

However, vitamins are found not only in the fruits of gardens and vegetable gardens. Many vitamins are contained, for example, raw liver, sunflower oil(and sunflower seeds). In addition, they contain easily digestible and essential amino acids. That is, those that are not synthesized in the body, but must come from outside.

Dried apricots, apricots, and kais contain a lot of potassium, organic acids, iron, carotene, phosphorus, and calcium. Just five medium-sized slices of dried apricot contain the daily requirement of iron, which maintains normal levels of hemoglobin and calcium in the body. So dried apricots, apricots and kaisa are very useful for women during menopause, when the body rapidly loses calcium.

Dried apricots are indispensable for the heart and nervous system, help with weakened vision and anemia, protect against premature aging and even prevent cancer. Using 100-150 grams of dried apricots you can cleanse the intestines.

Raisins, unusually rich in potassium and other valuable substances, are good for the lungs, heart, and nervous system. For nervous people it is simply irreplaceable. It’s not for nothing that our ancestors believed that raisins were able to “suppress anger.” Like prunes, raisins increase hemoglobin and help with stomach problems.

Yogis advise that for coughs and bronchitis, eat raisins soaked in water with milk every evening. There is another folk recipe to facilitate expectoration: boil 100 g of raisins in a glass of water for 10 minutes, squeeze out and drink the resulting decoction 1/2-1/3 cup 3-4 times a day.

Figs are good for diseases of cardio-vascular system, heartbeats, bronchial asthma, tendency to thrombosis, anemia, thyroid dysfunction. It is a good anti-inflammatory, diuretic and diaphoretic, and a mild laxative. ethnoscience uses figs with milk for colds, dry cough, whooping cough. The recipe is simple: pour 4-5 berries into a glass of hot milk, grind and take half a glass 2-4 times a day.