Nutritional deficiencies among women are on the rise, driven by factors like inadequate dietary choices, lifestyle habits, and specific biological needs. Addressing these factors is crucial to prevent and manage these deficiencies for improved overall health.

According to Jinal Patel, Dietitian, Zynova Shalby Hospital, nutritional deficiencies happen when the body is unable to get enough nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and dietary fibres from the food. There could be various factors that could lead to nutritional deficiencies in women such as dietary choices, health conditions, lifestyle factors, eating disorders, and certain medications.

Women are more suspected to develop nutritional deficiencies due to their unique biological needs and life stages like menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. Common nutritional deficiencies in women include deficiency of vitamin A, Vitamin D, folic acid, protein, and calcium. Maintaining a proper nutritional balance is essential for growth and repair, and keeps you active throughout the day.

Common Nutritional Deficiencies In Women

Iron deficiency

It is a type of nutrient that is responsible for the growth and development of the body. Your body uses iron to produce haemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells which are responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. Women are at higher risk of developing iron deficiency, especially during menstrual cycles and pregnancy.  You can experience symptoms such as cold hands and feet, brittle nails, hair loss, pale skin, and dizziness.

Tips to maintain iron deficiency: Eating food rich in iron can help prevent the risk of iron deficiency. Foods such as beans, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts like walnuts, and pumpkin seeds are jam-packed with iron which can help maintain iron levels in the body.

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Vitamin D

It is essential to keep your bones, muscles, and teeth healthy.  Vitamin D deficiency can lead to several health problems such as bone pain, bone fractures, muscle pain, muscle weakness, and osteoporosis. Women with limited exposure to sunlight or who rarely step out of their house are more susceptible to developing vitamin D deficiency.

Tips to maintain Vitamin D deficiency: Spending more time in sunlight can help lower the chances of getting vitamin D deficiency. Women are advised to eat foods such as fruits, and vegetables like mushroom, paneer, and orange juice to maintain vitamin D levels in their body.

Vitamin A

Nutritional Deficiency In Women (Image Credits: Canva)

It is crucial for supporting your vision, embryo development and growth, and maintaining your reproductive health and immune system. There could be various factors such as limited variety in food or being choosy, increased nutritional requirements due to pregnancy, and certain medications. Vitamin A deficiency can cause health problems such as night blindness, dry skin, delayed growth, and respiratory infections.

Tips to maintain Vitamin A deficiency: Taking vitamin A supplements after consulting your doctor can help restore vitamin A levels, preventing the risk of night blindness. The best way to prevent the risk of developing vitamin A is to eat healthier food such as vegetables like broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach.

Folic Acid

It is also known as vitamin B, which is responsible for producing new healthy cells in the body. You can experience a range of symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, problems during pregnancy, and pale skin. Folic acid can help reduce the risk of birth defects in the brain and spine called neural tube defects.

Tips to maintain folic acid deficiency: Include citrus fruits in your diet like oranges, grapes, and lemons regularly as they are high in folic acid. Adding lentils like chickpeas, and black beans to your soups or salads can significantly increase your folic acid intake.

Calcium

Women, specifically postmenopausal women are at higher risk of developing calcium deficiency. Calcium is a type of mineral that helps maintain healthy bones and teeth. Women with a calcium deficiency can encounter symptoms such as muscle cramps, confusion, tingling in the lips and fingers, cataracts, osteoporosis, weak nails, and dental changes.

Tips to maintain calcium deficiency: Sacking on healthy nuts and seeds like almonds and chia seeds can help resolve concerns related to calcium deficiency as they are packed with calcium. Women should limit their coffee and sodium intake, as these two can easily interfere with calcium absorption.

Consider taking certain supplements, if the dietary intake is insufficient, but taking supplements without consulting your doctor can lead to severe health problems. It is advised to consult your doctor before starting any supplement regime to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the supplements. Overconsumption or incorrect dosing can hamper your overall health.

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