“These are the 5 most common nutritional deficiencies I see in my Orange, chiropractic and integrative medicine practice: Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Omega 3 Fatty Acids (ALA, EPA, DHA). I feel that these deficiencies are not just representative of my local area but are a glimpse of what the world, in general, is experiencing. Below is a brief summary for each nutrient. My ranking of nutritional deficiencies are based on dietary analysis, clinical observation and blood tests.” Marcus Ettinger BSc., DC
1. Magnesium
Deficiency: 8 out of 10 clients show clinical signs of magnesium deficiency. The average American diet only contains 50% to 60% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). According to Dr. Guosong Liu, half the population of industrialized countries have a magnesium deficit, which increases with aging.
Symptoms: Anxiety, confusion, heart attack, hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD), insomnia, nervousness, muscular irritability (twitches, spasms or cramps), restlessness, Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), weakness, heart palpitations, depression….
Recommended Foods: All green leafy vegetables (ex. Swiss chard and spinach), Seeds (pumpkin or sunflower seeds), Beans (black or navy beans).
Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Calm “magnesium caps” See: Magnesium and the Pathogenesis of disease (400 – 600 mg’s per day)
2. Zinc
Deficiency: 7 out of 10 clients show clinical signs of deficiency.
Symptoms: Acne, ADD/ADHD, brittle nails, delayed sexual maturity, depression/apathy, diarrhea, eczema, fatigue, growth impairment, hair loss, high cholesterol levels, immune impairment, impotence, irritability, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of sense of taste, low stomach acid (HCl), male infertility/abnormal sperm, memory impairment, night blindness, paranoia, white spots on nails, poor wound healing, psoriasis….
Recommended Foods: Calf’s liver, beef, mushrooms, spinach, green peas and pumpkin seeds.
Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Zinc Glycinate (50 – 100mg’s per day).
3. Vitamin D
Deficiency: 10 out of 10 clients show deficiency (99.8% of all of my Labcorp, client blood tests have shown deficiency).
Symptoms: Allergies, auto immune diseases, burning sensation in mouth, cancer, diarrhea, insomnia, myopia, nervousness, osteoporosis, poor calcium utilization, rickets, scalp sweating, weight gain….
Recommended Foods: Cod liver oil, shrimp and eggs.
Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Power Vitamin D3 or Power D3 Softgels. Recommended dosage of Vitamin D3/Cholecalciferol is (6,000 – 10,000 IU’s per day for adults and 2,000 IU’s for children above the age of five. A base-line blood test should be done with a goal of achieving a blood level between 50 – 70 ng/mL ). Skin exposure to the sun, 15 minutes per day, is another great way to get adequate Vitamin D exposure. Note: living in southern California, I only take my Vitamin D during the months of October – the beginning of June. I surf a lot and as soon as my wetsuit comes off and I can get 15 minutes+ of direct sunlight, I no longer need the supplement form. In fact if if I kept taking it I would sunburn within 15 minutes. This is what your body does when the vitamin D level is sufficient.
4. Vitamin E
Deficiency: 3/10 Males and 2/10 Females show signs of deficiency.
Symptoms: Neurological disturbances (gait disturbances, poor reflexes, loss of position sense, loss of vibration sense), shortened red blood cell life….
Recommended Foods: Green leafy vegetables (Mustard greens, chard, spinach and turnip greens), almonds and sunflower seeds.
Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Power E Complex – d-alpha Tocopherol w/mixed Tocohperols (400 – 800 IU’s per day)
5. Omega 3 Fatty Acids (ALA, EPA, DHA)
Deficiency: 8/10 show signs of deficiency.
Symptoms: Diarrhea, dry skin and hair, hair loss, acne, eczema, psoriasis, immune weakness, infertility, poor wound healing, premenstrual syndrome, gall stones, liver degeneration, ADD/ADHD and depression….
Recommended Foods: Wild-caught salmon (Important: avoid farm-raised salmon because of pollutants, artificial color and lack of EFA’s), flax seed and/or flax seed oil, walnuts and sardines.
Recommended Nutritional Supplements: Ultra Omega 3-6-9 (2 – 4 caps per day) or High Lignan Flax Seed Oil (3 – 6 caps per day)
