Unexpected Micronutrient Deficiencies
Recently we talked about the vitamin and mineral deficiencies which may trigger more headache and migraine attacks in patients using certain heartburn medications. The truth is that nutritional deficiencies can be caused by a variety of things, and the consequences can be quite serious.
Curt Hendrix over at Akeso Health Sciences recently wrote about the admittedly extreme case of a teen boy who eventually went blind because of undetected micronutrient deficiencies. After finding a B12 deficiency, he was given injections and a recommended diet plan. But more information came out about three years later:
Upon further examining his eating habits, doctors learned that “since elementary school, [the boy] would not eat certain textures of food.” Subsisting only on a diet of chips, processed meats, white bread, and a daily portion of french fries. Doctors also found copper, selenium, zinc, and vitamin D deficiencies, as well as decreased bone density.
Your Body’s Language: Nutritional Deficiencies and Consequences
An extreme case – I hope so – but maybe not as unusual as we think. Hendrix quotes estimates that 2 billion people in the world have a nutritional deficiency. And lest you think that we’re talking about only the poorest countries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost 10% of the US population has at least one deficiency.
Certainly, these issues can be caused by genetics and many medications. But it is also surprisingly easy for us to fall into a diet that lacks variety and balance. One of the problems is that many of these tricky symptoms don’t show up right away – it may take years – and then, as in the case of this boy, the results may be irreversible. And even supplements may not be enough to correct the problem.
If you’re looking for one simple test for all deficiencies, you’re out of luck. But your doctor, or even certain home tests, can catch some of the major ones. You might want to consider testing, especially for iron, B2, B12, magnesium, and vitamin D. But certain symptoms may point to other deficiencies – your doctor can help you with that.
Sometimes, even with tests, it’s hard to nail down certain deficiencies. But what you can do is eat a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. Remember, just because you don’t have immediate problems because of what you ate yesterday doesn’t mean that you’re eating healthy.
After many years of migraine and headache research, I remain convinced that diet is one of the most powerful weapons you can use to fight migraine. Its importance is given lip service, but its true power is frequently underestimated.
To read more about this sad case and the danger of nutritional deficiencies in general, check out the full article here.