Detrimental Deficiencies

The complexity of the human body is unimaginable. Daily your body is able to: replicate DNA, produce new cells, formulate chemical messengers that journey from one organ to another, send nerve signals to and from the brain at speeds above 100 miles per hour and copious other processes to sustain your health. In order for this to occur our body requires crucial substances, obtained by none other than vitamins. Vitamins are vital to the human body, as they are essential nutrients that are necessary for biological processes.  However, the common failure of recognizing the importance of these essential molecules can lead to detrimental effects on health. The fundamentality of vitamins is of no secret to doctors and professional nutritionists, yet it is overlooked as the focus for the majority of people are drawn towards other components of the diet, such as fats and sugars.

Obtaining an understanding for the significance of vitamins can be done by looking at their function within the human body, as it illustrates the importance of them. There are numerous amounts of vitamins that help bodily functions and each one has several effects, the most prominent being:
v  Vitamin A- Boost the immune system by stimulating the production and activity of white blood cells, helping fight infections.
v  B vitamins and folic acid- Vital for healthy nervous system and aids production of red blood cells.
v  Vitamin C- Protects cellular functions and helps the maintenance and building of collagen.
v  Vitamin D- Regulates the quantity of calcium and phosphate, which helps bone and muscle to be healthy.
v  Vitamin E- Works as an antioxidant protecting cell membranes, boosts the immune system and studies have shown that it decreases the risk of diseases like cancer and heart diseases.
v  Vitamin K- It helps coagulate blood, enabling wounds to heal properly and prevent the risk of infections. In conjunction with vitamins A and D it assists building bone protein.

There are various effects of vitamin deficiency on human health, as well as them varying in severity. Health implications can be as little as tiredness or as severe as memory loss and blindness. The functions of them illustrates the need for them.

Vitamin deficiency is more prevalent in less economically developed countries than more economically developed countries and is more problematic in those countries. The inability to obtain sufficient nutrients is mainly due to malnutrition. For instance, in southern Asia and in Africa vitamin A deficiency was vastly common when malnutrition rates had increased. This led to chronic health problems, such as blindness. As vitamin A is important for the immune system, a deficiency in it led to an increase in infections- causing a dramatic rise in HIV. To combat vitamin A deficiency scientists produced genetically modified rice, known as golden rice. Beta carotene is needed for the production of vitamin A, therefore rice was genetically modified so it would produce beta carotene. However, there was concern on the long term effects of the rice and genetic modification also raised ethical issues.

Despite vitamin deficiency being largely apparent in less economically developed countries, they also are prevailing in more economically developed countries. Within the UK vitamin D deficiency has become of higher concern as rates have been growing. Vitamin D deficiency is linked with rickets that effects bone development in children causing bones to become soft and weak; in adults it is known as osteomalacia. Extensive research was carried out on the matter by Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). To prevent further cases of vitamin D deficiency, Public Health England have advised that 10 micrograms of vitamin D to be taken daily by adults and children over the age of ten.

Preventing vitamin deficiencies can simply be done through diet and taking supplements. Ensuring your body is obtaining the nutrition it needs can have a highly positive impact on your health. Determining whether you may have a deficiency is not easily done, especially due to the vast amount of vitamins and their symptoms. Therefore, if there is any concern going to your GP is always best, in which blood tests are usually preformed. Action to prevent deficiencies should only be taken when advised so by your doctor, as taking too many vitamins can also cause health implications.

Hope you found this insightful. Thanks for reading.
Written by Aarti Chopra
Universal Medicine

Sources:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/vitamins-minerals.aspx
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-k/
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-e/
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-a/

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/537616/SACN_Vitamin_D_and_Health_report.pdf

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