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How Does Vitamin/mineral Deficiency Cause Harm In Body?
Question: Lately i have had some weird fears of becoming vitamin/mineral deficient or sick because i feel i need a certain type of food right away or ill go into convulsions, seizures, pass out or die.
How fast can a vitamin/mineral deficiency harm you?
Are any signs of deficiencys immediate like that? or they most likely gradual and mostly just fatigue or smaller symptoms like brittle nails or something like that?
If i leave the house and forget something that i think i need, i instantly panic and start shaking uncontrollably and go crazy because i fear i might need sonething to eat that is vital to my health and if i dont have it i fear of going crazy or falling ill very quickly or passing out because of possibly needing a certain vitamin or mineral from a certain food.
Or is this something i have manifested in my mind that is not a real world scenario?
Thanks.
How fast can a vitamin/mineral deficiency harm you?
Are any signs of deficiencys immediate like that? or they most likely gradual and mostly just fatigue or smaller symptoms like brittle nails or something like that?
If i leave the house and forget something that i think i need, i instantly panic and start shaking uncontrollably and go crazy because i fear i might need sonething to eat that is vital to my health and if i dont have it i fear of going crazy or falling ill very quickly or passing out because of possibly needing a certain vitamin or mineral from a certain food.
Or is this something i have manifested in my mind that is not a real world scenario?
Thanks.
Brief Answer:
such deficinecy has no immediate effect
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
First and most important is that vitamin and mineral deficiencies are not very commonly seen in well to do and otherwise normal people. Even if there is a deficinecy- the manifestations are vague -in form of weakness or malaise or just a chance detection. Usually no immediate untoward health effect is seen in such minor element deficinecy..
The point important here is that you are unneccesarily over concerned about health..may be this has been precipitated by some incidence or hearing something similar in someone..but whatever is the reason- the fear you have right niw is completely out of proprtion to the magnitude of problem ( and the problem is even not a diagnosed one..its just in your mind ).
Please meet a psyhiatrist and get a through evealuation or else this might increase and start affecting your work and sleep..I think your closed ones must be trying to make you understand that your fears are not real..but you cant help ( may be you yourself realise it that this all is baseless but you cannot control the anxiety).
From the information provided the symptoms are suggetive of anxiety and
also has and obsessive component to it.
Apart from meeting the doctor- get TSH and Vit.B12 Levels.
Please take an opinion after meeting the doctor in person. I could have guided you but I need more infromation about your condition, like its begining, any stressor which started it, any positive family history or your past history of any psyhiatric illness...
You will feel much beter and releived after right meds are started.
Wish you good health.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
such deficinecy has no immediate effect
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
First and most important is that vitamin and mineral deficiencies are not very commonly seen in well to do and otherwise normal people. Even if there is a deficinecy- the manifestations are vague -in form of weakness or malaise or just a chance detection. Usually no immediate untoward health effect is seen in such minor element deficinecy..
The point important here is that you are unneccesarily over concerned about health..may be this has been precipitated by some incidence or hearing something similar in someone..but whatever is the reason- the fear you have right niw is completely out of proprtion to the magnitude of problem ( and the problem is even not a diagnosed one..its just in your mind ).
Please meet a psyhiatrist and get a through evealuation or else this might increase and start affecting your work and sleep..I think your closed ones must be trying to make you understand that your fears are not real..but you cant help ( may be you yourself realise it that this all is baseless but you cannot control the anxiety).
From the information provided the symptoms are suggetive of anxiety and
also has and obsessive component to it.
Apart from meeting the doctor- get TSH and Vit.B12 Levels.
Please take an opinion after meeting the doctor in person. I could have guided you but I need more infromation about your condition, like its begining, any stressor which started it, any positive family history or your past history of any psyhiatric illness...
You will feel much beter and releived after right meds are started.
Wish you good health.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Answered by
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