Diagnosing deficiencies are best done by tests. But there are useful clinical pointers. Eye, hair, nail, mouth and skin symptoms are among the early outward warning signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The following compilations may help in diagnosing and treating these deficiencies. However, increased metabolic requirements for indicated deficiencies may persist for a long time after the outward symptoms have disappeared. Many listed symptoms may also be caused or aggravated by allergies and problems with the blood sugar and fat metabolism. If you child has numerous symptoms, you may want to look into a multivitamin. If your child is on a multivitamin, you may want to look into reasons why s/he may not be absorbing the nutrients. Perhaps adding enzymes or probiotics would help.
Hands and nails
Cold hands - magnesium deficiency (check thyroid)
White spots on nails - almost any mineral deficiency but typically zinc
Ridges on nails - poor blood supply, zinc deficiency
Soft or brittle nails - and mineral deficiency especially magnesium
Bitten nails - general mineral deficiency
Hang nails - Vitamin C, Folinic Acid, proteins
So often people comment that nails get tough when they start taking Nutritional Supplements - what everybody should be taking all the time even if nothing is wrong. Many of the raw materials for nails are the same for bone and connective tissue - so nail health reflects bone and connective tissue health!
Skin
Stretch marks indicate zinc deficiency. They are common in pregnancy not because the skin is stretched but because demands for zinc are high!
Follicular hyperkeratosis (rough skin, especially on the heels)- Vitamin A deficiency
Spontaneous hemorrhages - lack of vitamins C or Vitamin K
Dry scaly skin with hair follicles plugged with coiled distorted hairs and a red halo - Vitamin C deficiency
Yellow palms - excessive beta carotene intake. But can be due to eating lots of colored vegetables!
Pimply rough skin at the back of the upper arms (chicken flesh) - essential fatty acid deficiency
Greasy red scaly skin of face and sides of nose - vitamin B2 deficiency
Seborrhoeic dermatitis around nose and an acne like forehead rash - Vitamin B6 deficiency
White spots, especially on forearms - Vitamin D3 deficiency
Mouth and gums
Pale fissured tongue - Iron (Fe) deficiency
Sore painful fissured tongue - vitamin B3 deficiency
Sore burning tongue and lips and peeling of lips - vitamin B2 deficiency
Swollen tongue with lateral teeth indentations - food intolerance. Also myxoedema - see Hypothyroidism.
Painful sore tongue with a smooth appearance - Folinic Acid deficiency
Angular cheilosis (splits in lips) - vitamin B2 deficiency, thrush
Gum disease and pyorrhoea - Co Q 10 deficiency, Folinic Acid deficiency.
Bleeding gums - Vitamin C deficiency
Eyes
Bags under eyes - thyroid, allergies or food intolerances
Bitot's spots, foamy patches on conjunctiva - vitamin A
Bloodshot eyes - treatment: boric acid for fungus infection, blue light
Blurred vision - vitamins B2, B6, pantothenic acid
Bulging eyes - vitamin E, nicotinamide, iodine
Cataracts (lens becomes opaque) - vitamins B2, C, E, antioxidants (avoid lactose), chronium deficiency or excess free radicals
Blue eyes and blond hair are often seen in hyperactive male children - zinc, magnesium, Vitamin B6 and essential fatty acids deficiencies
Blue eyes and premature grey hair - vitamin B12 deficiency - a feature of pernicious Anemia
Color-blindness - vitamin A
Conjunctivitis - vitamins A, B2, C (B6, zinc)
Cross-eyes - vitamins E, C, B1, (allergy testing)
Dark spots in front of the eyes - vitamins B6, C, zinc (liver problems)
Dim vision (amblyopia) - vitamins B1, B2, C, B12 (allergy testing)
Dark rings under eyes - low iron
Dry, hard eyeballs (xerophthalmia) - vitamin A
Farsightedness (hyperopia) - magnesium, potassium, MSM
Glaucoma - magnesium, vitamin C (B2, B1,salt)
Hemorrhaging in the back of the eye (retinitis) - vitamin B6, zinc, bioflavonoids (also magnesium, vitamins C, B2, B12, E, pantothenate)
Infected, ulcerating eyes (keratomalacia) - vitamin A (vitamins C, B2, B6, zinc, blue light, boric acid)
Itching, burning, watery, sandy eyes - vitamin B2
Macular degeneration - vitamins A, B2, B6, magnesium, zinc, antioxidants, bioflavonoids, esp. lutein & zeaxanthin, ginkgo biloba, bilberry, eyebright, MSM, EFA
Near-sightedness (myopia) - chromium, vitamins C, E, D, calcium (proteins, avoid sugars)
Night blindness (nyctalopia) - vitamins A, (B2, B6, zinc)
Red blood vessels in the sclera - vitamin B2
Retinal detachment - zinc, vitamins B6, B2, C, E, A
Sensitive eyes, fear of strong light (photophobia) - vitamins B2, A
Tics of eyelids - magnesium, vitamins B2, B6, zinc
Neck
Goitre, thyroid swelling - iodine deficiency
Legs
Tender calf muscles - magnesium deficiency
Brisk knee reflexes - magnesium deficiency
Restless legs - mineral deficiency, tendency to be acidic - see Acid-Alkali balance
Clinical histories of nutritional relevance
Nasal polyps - salicylate sensitivity, catarrh, sinusitis, history of removal of Ts and As for good clinical reasons, milk intolerance
Poor healing - zinc deficiency
Poor dream recall - Vitamin B6 deficiency
Blood sugar swings with obvious low blood sugar episodes - chronium deficiency
Pre-menstrual syndrome - progesterone, magnesium, zinc and essential fatty acid deficiencies
Glandular fever - inadequate liver detoxification mechanisms
Sensory symptoms - B12, B1, magnesium deficiencies
Mental symptoms - B12 deficiency
Parkinsonism/Multiple sclerosis - glutathione deficiency
Cervical dysplasia - Vitamin B6 and Folinic Acid deficiency, papilloma/wart virus. Heals well with DMSO on the end of a tampax
Arthritis - Boron and sulphur (MSM) deficiency
Measles - Vitamin A deficiency
Persistent diarrhoea leading to fatigue - magnesium and potassium deficiencies
Many diuretics cause magnesium and potassium deficiencies
Muscle cramps - magnesium deficiency
Shaking hands - magnesium and vitamin B1 deficiencies
Hypertension - magnesium deficiency
Dysphagia - magnesium deficiency
Sensitivity to light - magnesium deficiency
Osteoporosis - don't forget to think about magnesium
PET - magnesium deficiency
Hair loss - thyroid, Iron (Fe), biotin, zinc and essential fatty acid deficiencies (must measure serum ferritin to check iron stores)
Frequent colds - zinc and Vitamin C deficiencies
Infertility, miscarriages and premature labour - zinc deficiency
Poor sense of smell and taste - zinc deficiency
Poor vision or night blindness - zinc and Vitamin A deficiencies
Dry eyes - Vitamin A deficiency
The contraceptive pill and HRT can cause an increase in copper levels and zinc, magnesium and Vitamin B6 deficiencies
Blocked nose with red wine - molybdenum deficiency
Bowel cancer - selenium deficiency
Mercury amalgams in teeth - selenium and glutathione deficiencies
Cardiomyopathies (Keshan Disease) - selenium deficiency
Heart attacks - vitamin E deficiency (Shute brothers)
Hair loss, dandruff, eczema, excessive ear wax production, poor wound healing, excessive thirst (especially in hyperactive children), pre-menstrual symptoms of any sort - essential fatty acid deficiency
Carpal tunnel syndrome - Vitamin B6 deficiency
Vegans - vitamin B12, zinc and Fe deficiencies
Gastrectomy - vitamin B12 and HCI (stomach acid) deficiencies
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy - vitamin B12 deficiency
Elderly - low everything, especially vitamin Bs and HCI deficiencies
Persistent infections - Vitamin C and zinc deficiencies
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Sources
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http://www.health-science-spirit.com/deficiency.html
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More information/other nutritional ideas
http://sites.google.com/site/superdownsyndrome/diet-nutrition
