Vitamin Deficiencies

HEALTH INFORMATION SERIES

The following table list possible signs associated with vitamin deficiencies. Please note this is an approximate form of analysis. Some symptoms may have other causes not directly related to the vitamin in question. The more symptoms that do apply to you, however, the more likely it is that you have a higher need for that particular vitamin.

Vitamin A
o Poor night vision, unable to see well in dim light
o Eyes sensitive to glare, sunlight or bright lights
o Inability to adjust eyes when entering a dark room
o Dry eyes
o Eyelids red, scaly or dry
o Eye inflammations, discharge, mattering, eyelids swollen or pus ladden
o Gets colds or infections easily
o Sinus problems
o Abscesses in ears, mouth or salivary glands
o Brittle hair
o Dry, rough or scaly skin
o Hard "goosebumps" on back of arms that will not go away
o Acne, pimples or blackheads
o Warts
o Kidney, urinary or bladder infections, burning or itching when urinating

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
o Heart palpitations
o Slow heart beat or rapid heart beat
o Enlarged heart 
o Diastolic blood pressure over 90
o Forgetfulness, poor memory, short attention span
o Muscular tenderness, weakness or wasting
o Irritability
o Feel depressed
o Loss of appetite or los of weight
o Numbness , pricking or tingling of hands or feet
o Loss of ankle or knee jerk reflexes
o Poor co-ordination
o Stiffness or swelling in ankles, feet or legs
o Cramping pains in legs
o Tenderness in calf muscle under pressure
o Constipation

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
o Cracks or sores in corner of mouth
o Reddish-purple (magenta) colored tongue
o Shiny, sore or swollen tongue
o Lips red, white, scaly, swollen or chapped
o Conjunctivitis
o Cataracts
o Sensation of sand inside of eyelids
o Eyes sensitive to light or dimming of vision
o Eyes red, itchy, burning
o Red lines in whites of eyes
o See spots before the eyes
o Abnormally greasy or scaly skin around the nose 
o Shrinking or "disappearing" upper lip
o Falling hair, abnormal hair loss
o Oily hair

Vitamin B5 (Niacin, Niacinamide)
o Diarrhea
o Chapping of backs of hands
o Itchy, red or inflamed skin, dermatitis
o Irritability, anxiety or depression
o mental aberrations or schizophrenia
o Loss of sense of humour
o Indigestion
o Small ulcers or canker sores in the mouth
o Burning sensation in the hands or the feet
o Insomnia
o Whitish, coated tongue
o Brilliant red, painful tongue
o Swollen tongue with red tip and sides
o Feel as if hands or feet go numb

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
o Irritability or nervousness
o Feel confused
o Cannot remember dreams
o Dizziness
o Swelling of the hands, feet or ankles (edema)
o Unable to close hands into tight fists, flat fists
o Soreness, tenderness, weakness of thumb muscles
o Greasy, scaliness on skin near nose, mouth, eyes
o Greenish tint to urine
o Muscular twitching
o Hyperactivity
o Poor co-ordination in walking
o FEMALE: Nausea of pregnancy
o FEMALE: Acne worse during periods

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
o Sore, beefy red tongue
o Lemon-yellowish tint to skin, pale complexion
o Numbness, tingling, soreness or weakness in hands or feet
o Jerking of limbs
o Memory loss
o Stammer
o Apathy, feel as if have lost incentive in life
o Depression, irritability or moodiness
o Anemia
o Paranoia, delusions or hallucinations
o Loss of appetite
o Confusion, disorientation or agitation
o Back pains 
o Dizziness
o Dimmed vision
o Poor stomach digestion, low stomach acid
o FEMALE: Menstrual disturbances

Biotin
o Skin shiny, dry and scaly
o Tongue purplish-red (magenta), swollen & painful
o Nausea
o Muscular pains
o Mental depression
o Poor appetite
o Fingernails a pale colour
o Sleeplessness
o Irregular heart beat
o Hair loss
o Extreme weariness, exhaustion

Choline
o Eczema
o High blood pressure
o High cholesterol level
o Bleeding ulcer
o have difficulty losing weight

Folic Acid
o Tongue red, shiny, smooth and painful
o Ulcers in mouth
o Red, swollen or bleeding gums
o Intestinal malabsorption, sprue
o Diarrhea
o Heart palpitations
o Swelling of ankles
o Lightheadedness, faintness
o Apathy or depression
o Forgetfulness
o Loss of appetite, weight loss
o Greying hair
o Excess pigmentation of skin
o Irritable, agitated, brooding or self-conscious
o Anemia

PABA (para amino benzoic acid)
o Skin sensitive to sun, photosensitivity
o White patches on skin, loss of pigment, vitiligo
o Constipation
o Depression
o Irritability
o Low sex drive
o Lupus erythematosus
o Scleroderma

Pantothenic Acid
o Pupils of eyes are unusually large, dilated
o Periods of deep depression
o Burning sensation of hands or feet
o Poor co-ordination
o Lightheaded or dizzy when getting up out of lying or sitting position
o Diarrhea or constipation
o Numbness or tingling of hands and feet
o Joint pains
o Muscle cramps
o Rapid heartbeat on exertion
o Irritability
o Headaches
o Insomnia, sleeplessness
o Fatigue, tiredness, lack of energy
 

Vitamin C
o Skin bruises easily, "black & blue" marks
o Hemorrhages or ruptured blood vessels in eyes
o Gums bleed easily, especially when brushing teeth
o Bluish-red, swollen inflamed gums
o Loose teeth, loss of dental fillings
o Cuts, sores or wounds heal slowly
o "Fleeting" pains in joints or legs, joint tenderness
o Catch infections, colds, flu or viruses easily
o Listlessness, lack of endurance, tire easily
o Cuticles tear easily
o Excessive hair loss
o Restlessness or irritability
o Nosebleeds 
o Broken capillaries, hemorrhages or little pink spots on skin
o Bloating or puffiness in face
o Anemia
o Fragile bones

Vitamin D
o Burning in mouth and throat
o Poor bone development
o Abnormal number of dental cavities
o Osteoporosis (demineralized bones)
o Osteomalacia (softening of bone)
o Rickets (bowlegs, knock knees)
o Joint pains
o Muscular cramps
o Nearsightedness, myopia
o Insomnia
o Constipation

Vitamin E
o Muscular swelling or wasting, muscular dystrophy
o Brittle and falling hair
o Hemolytic anemia
o FEMALE: Menstrual discomfort
o MALE: Low sex drive