How balanced is your diet? Why many of us have a nutrient deficiency

Veröffentlicht am: October 15, 2024

Nutritionist and dietician

Do you actually know how many vitamins and nutrients you need every day?

We often read that many of us have a vitamin or nutrient deficiency. At the same time, however, we hear that with a balanced diet we don't have to worry about any deficiencies.

What is true now?

Experts agree that the German diet is more akin to malnutrition. Even if there is enough food available in Europe, there are still some factors that can cause a nutrient deficiency here.

Why do we have a shortage - 5 reasons

1. we often have a very one-sided diet

Ask yourself these questions:

Do you eat your 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day?
Do you eat fish several times a week?
Do you regularly eat liver or other offal?

Most of us don't. For many of us, cooking fresh is a huge time commitment. That's why we turn to ready-made products. The problem with this? Instead of vitamins and nutrients, we mainly consume carbohydrates and bad fats. As a result, more and more young people are affected by a deficiency.

If our body is fed with food but not with vital substances, it demands them - we are hungry again, eat more overall and still don't feel satisfied. The whole thing ends in a vicious circle - we are undernourished but fat.

➤ 8 out of 10 people eat too few vegetables a day!

2. we have different nutritional needs

In particular, risk groups such as athletes, pregnant women/breastfeeding mothers, the elderly, vegetarians and vegans have completely different needs to cover their vital substance balance than people in other life situations.

For example, athletes need more magnesium, pregnant and breastfeeding women need more omega 3 and folic acid, older people need more glutathione and vegetarians and vegans often get too little vitamin B12, iron and omega 3 from their diet.

These groups of people must ensure that they take in additional vital substances - if not through food, then through appropriate supplements.

Did you know that people with certain illnesses also have an increased nutrient requirement? For example, the vitamins folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin D are particularly important for diabetics. A deficiency can lead to sensory disturbances.

➤ Certain risk groups need more nutrients!

3. outdated reference values lead to deficiencies

Many experts are of the opinion that the ubiquitous reference values for vitamins and nutrients are too low from today's perspective.

Example of vitamin D - a fatal miscalculation

American scientists have found that current intake recommendations for vitamin D are far too low. The real requirement would be 10 times higher!

In 2015, researchers confirmed that they had found a calculation error in the previous dosage recommendation. According to their calculations, the actual daily vitamin D requirement is 7,000 IU!

However, the nutrition societies in Germany, Switzerland and Austria recommend only 800 IU per day. This value was only quadrupled in 2012. Before that, only 200 I.U. were recommended.

Despite recognizing the calculation error, the reference values have not yet been adjusted. This means that any deficiency is not even discovered.

➤ Every second person is affected by a vitamin D deficiency!

4. medications are nutrient robbers

Another factor in the development of a vital substance deficiency is the intake of medication. Many medications affect the metabolic processes involved in the absorption and utilization of urgently needed vital substances. If medication is taken for a long time, a deficiency of vital substances develops as a result of nutrient depletion.

These include, for example, acid blockers for heartburn, the contraceptive pill, statins as cholesterol-lowering agents, blood pressure medication, antidepressants and laxatives.

Example of the contraceptive pill - a creeping robbery

Women who take the pill for years have a greatly increased nutrient requirement, for example for the B vitamins, folic acid and vitamin C. In addition, the absorption of minerals such as zinc and magnesium is inhibited.

Taking the contraceptive pill significantly increases a woman's nutrient requirements!

5. stress eats away our vitamins

But it is not only our diet that causes us to be undersupplied with vital substances. Stress is a major guzzler of vital substances. This is because high cortisol levels also increase our nutrient requirements. This mainly affects B vitamins, zinc and vitamin C. Stress also leads to impaired digestion and poor food utilization.

➤ Almost 9 out of 10 people are stressed by work!

Diseases rarely arise out of nowhere

The fatal thing about a severe lack of vital nutrients is that it can trigger serious illnesses and metabolic disorders. Almost every disease is associated with a nutrient deficiency - such as a vitamin D deficiency.

However, there is rarely just one vital substance missing. Diseases mainly occur when there is a deficiency of several vitamins and nutrients.

It is of course possible to eat a balanced diet simply by choosing the right foods. However, only very few of us manage to do this - not even 1% of the population, to be precise.

➤ A sick person is missing much more than just a vitamin!

What should you take with you?

It is extremely important to regularly replenish your vitamin and nutrient requirements. If you do not do this, you will lack the most important substances and the way will be paved for typical lifestyle diseases such as chronic inflammation, hormonal disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer or depression.

We need vitamins and nutrients to keep our bodies healthy!

It is therefore always advisable to take a closer look at the overall level of vital substances in order to rule out several deficiencies. You can have this determined, for example, by your naturopath, doctor or practically from home via the blood count.

Sources (in English):

Karcz, K., Krolak-Olejnik, B. & Paluszynska, D. (2019, January). [ Vegetarian diet in pregnancy and lactation - safety and rules of balancing meal plan in the aspect of optimal fetal and infant development]. Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski, 46(271):45-50

Bruins, M. J., Van Dael, P. & Eggersdorfer, M. (2019, January). The Role of Nutrients in Reducing the Risk for Noncommunicable Diseases during Aging. Nutrients, 11(1). pii: E85, doi: 10.3390/nu11010085

Capone, K. & Sentongo, T. (2019, November). The ABCs of Nutrient Deficiencies and Toxicities. Pediatric Annals, 48(11):e434-e440, doi: 10.3928/19382359-20191015-01

Sellier, C. (2018, September). [ Malnutrition in the elderly, screening and treatment]. Soins. Gerontology, 23(133):12-17, doi: 10.1016/j.sger.2018.06.003

Creighton University. (2015, March). Recommendation for vitamin D intake was miscalculated, is far too low, experts say. Science Daily, Available at: [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150317122458.htm]