MICRONUTRIENT-DEFICIENCY DISEASES

MICRONUTRIENT-DEFICIENCY DISEASES

The body requires many different vitamins and minerals that are crucial for both
body development and preventing disease. These vitamins and minerals are often referred
to as micronutrients. They aren’t produced naturally in the body, so you have to get them
from your diet.
A nutritional deficiency occurs when the body doesn’t absorb or get from food the
necessary amount of a nutrient. Deficiencies can lead to a variety of health problems. These
can include digestion problems, skin disorders, stunted or defective bone growth, and even
dementia.
The amount of each nutrient you should consume depends on your age. In the
United States, many foods that you buy in the grocery store — such as cereals, bread, and
milk — are fortified with nutrients that are needed to prevent nutritional deficiency.
But sometimes your body is unable to absorb certain nutrients even if you’re
consuming them. It’s possible to be deficient in any of the nutrients your body needs.
Keep reading to learn about some common nutritional deficiencies and how to
avoid them.

SCURVY
Happens when there is a lack of vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. The deficiency leads
to symptoms of weakness, anemia, gum disease, and skin problems.
This is because vitamin C is needed for making collagen, an important component
in connective tissues. Connective tissues are essential for structure and support in the body,
including the structure of blood vessels.
A lack of vitamin C will also affect the immune system, absorption of iron,
metabolism of cholesterol and other functions.
SYMPTOMS
Vitamin C is a necessary nutrient that helps the body absorb iron and produce
collagen.
If the body does not produce enough collagen, tissues will start to break down. It is
also needed for synthesizing dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and carnitine, needed
for energy production.
One of the more notable symptoms of scurvy is the loss of and damage to teeth

Symptoms of vitamin C deficiency can start to appear after 8 to 12 weeks. Early

signs include a loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, irritability, and lethargy.

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TREATMENT
Treatment involves administering vitamin C supplements by mouth or by injection.
The recommended dosage is:
1 to 2 grams (g) per day for 2 to 3 days
500 milligrams (mg) for the next 7 days
100 mg for 1 to 3 months
Within 24 hours, patients can expect to see an improvement in fatigue, lethargy,
pain, anorexia, and confusion. Bruising, bleeding, and weakness start to resolve within 1
to 2 weeks.
After 3 months, a complete recovery is possible. Long-term effects are unlikely, except in
the case of severe dental damage.

ANEMIA
Happens when there is a decreased number of circulating red blood cells in the
body. It is the most common blood disorder in the general population. Symptoms can
include headaches, chest pains, and pale skin.
SYMPTOMS
The most common symptom of all types of anemia is a feeling of fatigue and a lack
of energy.
Other common symptoms may include:
 paleness of skin
 fast or irregular heartbeat
 shortness of breath
 chest pain
 headache
 light-headedness
In mild cases, there may be few or no symptoms.
Some forms of anemia can have specific symptoms:
 Aplastic anemia: fever, frequent infections, and skin rashes
 Folic acid deficiency anemia: irritability, diarrhea, and a smooth tongue
 Hemolytic anemia: jaundice, dark colored urine, fever, and abdominal pains
 Sickle cell anemia: painful swelling of the feet and hands, fatigue, and jaundice
TREATMENT
There is a range of treatments for anemia. They all aim to increase the red blood
cell count. This, in turn, increases the amount of oxygen the blood carries.

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Treatment will depend on the type and cause of anemia.

 Iron deficiency anemia: Iron supplements (which are availble to buy online) or
dietary changes. If the condition is due to loss of blood, the bleeding must be found
and stopped.
 Vitamin deficiency anemias: Treatments include dietary supplements and B-12
shots.
 Thalassemia: Treatment includes folic acid supplementation, removal of the spleen,
and, sometimes, blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants.
 Anemia of chronic disease: This is anemia associated with a serious, chronic
underlying condition. There are no specific treatments, and the focus is on the
underlying condition.
 Aplastic anemia: The patient will receive blood transfusions or bone marrow
transplants.
 Sickle cell anemia: Treatment includes oxygen therapy, pain relief, and intravenous
fluids. There may also be antibiotics, folic acid supplements, and blood
transfusions. A cancer drug known as Droxia or Hydrea is also used.
 Hemolytic anemias: Patients should avoid medication that may make it worse and
they may receive immunosuppressant drugs and treatment for infections.
Plasmapheresis, or blood-filtering, might be necessary in some cases.

GOITER
Iodine deficiency is a lack of the trace element iodine, an essential nutrient in the
diet. It may result in a goiter, sometimes as an endemic goiter as well as cretinism due to
untreated congenital hypothyroidism, which results in developmental delays and other
health problems.
A goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland that causes the neck to swell. It is one of the
most common thyroid disorders. Goiters are often harmless but symptoms can occur, and
treatment may be required depending on the size and type of goiter.
SYMPTOMS
The degree of swelling and the severity of symptoms produced by the goiter
depends on the individual.

Most goiters produce no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, the following are
most common:
 throat symptoms of tightness, cough, and hoarseness
 trouble swallowing
 in severe cases, difficulty breathing, possibly with a high-pitch sound

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Other symptoms may be present because of the underlying cause of the goiter, but
they are not because of the goiter itself. For example, an overactive thyroid can cause
symptoms such as:
 nervousness
 palpitations
 hyperactivity
 increased sweating
 heat hypersensitivity
 fatigue
 increased appetite
 hair loss
 weight loss
In cases where goiter is a result of hypothyroidism, the underactive thyroid can
cause symptoms such as:
 cold intolerance
 constipation
 forgetfulness
 personality changes
 hair loss
 weight gain
Aside from the swelling itself, many people with goiter present no symptoms or
signs at all.

XEROPHTHALMIA
Xerophthalmia is a progressive eye disease caused by vitamin A deficiency. Lack
of vitamin A can dry out your tear ducts and eyes. Xerophthalmia can develop into night
blindness or more serious damage to your cornea, the outer layer of your eye. This damage
may take the form of white spots on your eyes and ulcers on your corneas. Xerophthalmia
usually can be reversed with vitamin A therapy.
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of xerophthalmia start out mild, and then get progressively worse if
a vitamin A deficiency isn’t treated. If you have this condition, the thin lining of your eyelid
and eyeball, called the conjunctiva, dries out, thickens, and begins to wrinkle. That drying
out and wrinkling causes various symptoms.
Night blindness is an early symptom. This is an inability to see in dim light. The
World Health Organization and public health workers have used number of cases of night
blindness as a gauge of vitamin A deficiency in a population.

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As xerophthalmia progresses, lesions form on your cornea. These deposits of tissue

are called Bitot’s spots. You can also get corneal ulcers. In the latest stages of the condition,
part or all of your cornea liquefies. This eventually leads to blindness.

TREATMENT
Vitamin A supplementation is the immediate treatment for xerophthalmia. Vitamin
A can be taken by mouth or injected. The dose varies according to your age and general
health condition.
In more advanced cases where the cornea is damaged, you may receive antibiotics
to prevent secondary infections. You may need to keep your eye covered to protect it until
the lesion heals.
Vitamin A supplements can quickly reverse symptoms of xerophthalmia and help
protect children from dying of other childhood diseases.
Vitamin A supplements are given preventively in areas where xerophthalmia is a
known problem. This is a low-cost way to prevent human suffering and deaths. A 2007
studyTrusted Source estimated that 500 million vitamin A capsules are distributed
annually, at a relatively low cost of 10 cents per capsule.
Nutrition education can be important in helping people make the best use of their
food resources. Fortifying commercial foods with vitamin A also helps reduce vitamin A
deficiency. Some foods that may be fortified include:
 oils and fats
 grains
 milk
 sugar
Another possible source of vitamin A is golden rice, which is genetically engineered to
contain beta carotene. It has been opposed by groups that are against any genetic
modification of food.

RICKETS
Rickets is a skeletal disorder that’s caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or
phosphate. These nutrients are important for the development of strong, healthy bones.
People with rickets may have weak and soft bones, stunted growth, and, in severe cases,
skeletal deformities.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphate from your intestines.
You can get vitamin D from various food products, including milk, eggs, and fish. Your
body also produces the vitamin when you’re exposed to sunlight.

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A vitamin D deficiency makes it difficult for your body to maintain sufficient levels
of calcium and phosphate. When this occurs, your body produces hormones that cause
calcium and phosphate to be released from your bones. When your bones lack these
minerals, they become weak and soft.
Rickets is most common in children who are between 6 and 36 months old. Children
are at the highest risk of rickets because they’re still growing. Children might not get
enough vitamin D if they live in a region with little sunlight, follow a vegetarian diet, or
don’t drink milk products. In some cases, the condition is hereditary.
Rickets is rare in the United States. Rickets used to be more common, but it mostly
disappeared in developed countries during the 1940s due to the introduction of fortified
foods, such as cereals with added vitamin D.

SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of rickets include:
 pain or tenderness in the bones of the arms, legs, pelvis, or spine
 stunted growth and short stature
 bone fractures
 muscle cramps
 teeth deformities, such as:
 delayed tooth formation
 holes in the enamel
 abscesses
 defects in the tooth structure
 an increased number of cavities
 skeletal deformities, including:
 an oddly shaped skull
 bowlegs, or legs that bow out
 bumps in the ribcage
 a protruding breastbone
 a curved spine
 pelvic deformities
Call your doctor right away if your child is showing signs of rickets. If the disorder
isn’t treated during a child’s growth period, the child may end up with a very short stature
as an adult. Deformities can also become permanent if the disorder goes untreated.

TREATMENT
Treatment for rickets focuses on replacing the missing vitamin or mineral in the
body. This will eliminate most of the symptoms associated with rickets. If your child has
a vitamin D deficiency, your doctor will likely want them to increase their exposure to

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sunlight, if possible. They will also encourage them to consume food products high in
vitamin D, such as fish, liver, milk, and eggs.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements can also be used to treat rickets. Ask your
doctor about the correct dosage, as it can vary based on the size of your child. Too much
vitamin D or calcium can be unsafe.
If skeletal deformities are present, your child may need braces to position their
bones correctly as they grow. In severe cases, your child may need corrective surgery.
For hereditary rickets, a combination of phosphate supplements and high levels of
a special form of vitamin D are required to treat the disease.

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