Five subtle signs your body needs more nutrients according to a Harvard-trained doctor

A Harvard-trained doctor has revealed the subtle clues that you may need more vitamins.

Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist in California, highlighted five changes to your body that indicate you might be deficient in things like iron, vitamin C, and calcium.

In a video viewed more than 1.6million times, Dr Sethi pointed to small cues like brittle nails, joint clicking, and premature gray hair. 

Left untreated, these deficiencies could lead to serious health issues like headaches, fractures, and heart disease. 

Dr Sethi’s video comes on the heels of a recent Lancet study, which found that half the world doesn’t consume enough micronutrients, which the body needs in small amounts to stave off disease.

Brittle nails

Brittle nails could be a sign of iron and protein deficiency, Dr Sethi said in his TikTok video

Many of us are guilty of biting or picking at our nails.

But if yours look weak or break easily, it could be a sign of ‘a deficiency of protein and iron in the diet,’ Dr Sethi said. 

Nails are primarily made up of keratin, a protein that also helps form the tissues of the hair and the skin’s outermost layer, the epidermis. 

Not eating enough protein-rich foods like eggs, lean meat, and sweet potatoes deprives the body of keratin, leading the nails to lose structure. 

Federal health officials recommend getting 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For example, a 150-pound person (68 kilograms) should consume roughly 54 grams of protein per day.

Iron, meanwhile, is a key component of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen from the lungs to other tissues in the body.

Failing to eat enough iron deprives the nails of oxygen, causing them to become brittle.

According to a study published last month in JAMA Network Open, about one in four Americans don’t get enough iron from foods like red and lean meat, seafood, leafy green vegetables, lentils, and whole grains. 

Left untreated, iron deficiency could deprive the heart of oxygen, leading to irregular heart beats and heart disease.  

Men are advised to consume about eight milligrams of iron per day, while women should consume 18 milligrams from ages 19 to 50 and eight milligrams after age 51. 

Experts suggest that women need more iron as they lose it through menstruation, pregnancy, and lactation. 

However, getting too much protein may lead to indigestion and fatigue, while too much iron could result in liver disease and diabetes.

Eyelid twitching 

Magnesium helps control nerve functions and muscle contractions, but not getting enough may leave the nerves overly excited, leading to twitching

Dr Sethi said that twitching in the eyelids or limbs could be a sign of magnesium deficiency. 

Magnesium is an essential mineral that helps with bone growth and maintenance, as well as nerve functions and muscle contractions. 

But not getting enough of the nutrient could cause too much calcium to flow into nerve cells, overexciting them and leading to twitching. 

While magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, at least half of Americans don’t get enough of it, according to a 2020 study in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. 

Experts recommend men get at least 420 milligrams of magnesium per day and women get 320 milligrams. Magnesium-rich foods include spinach, avocados, nuts, bananas, and peanut butter.

Extremely low levels of magnesium, called hypomagnesemia, could lead to seizures or abnormal heart rhythms. 

However, too much magnesium has been linked to diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.  

Joint clicking

While joint popping isn’t harmful on its own, it may be a sign that you’re not getting enough vitamin D or calcium

If you find your knees and other joints cracking easily and regularly, Dr Sethi warns that ‘it could be a sign of vitamin D3 or calcium deficiency.’

Vitamin D and calcium are both crucial for maintaining bone and muscle health.

Not getting enough of these can weaken bones and joints, which causes inflammation and cracking sounds. However, joint popping on its own is not dangerous.

The National Institutes of Health estimates that one in four Americans don’t get enough vitamin D, which is a recommended 800 international units (IU) per day for adults. And 40 percent of US adults don’t get the recommended 1,000 milligrams per day of calcium.

Egg yolks, oily fish, and mushrooms are rich in vitamin D, while dairy and leafy greens are the most calcium-rich foods. 

Getting too much vitamin D can cause calcium to build up in the blood, causing nausea, vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination.

Premature gray hair 

There are several reasons why someone might go gray at an earlier age, but Dr Sethi suggested that a lack of vitamin B12 or copper may disrupt oxygen and melanin production in the hair, causing it to go gray

Going gray is inevitable. While there are a multitude of reasons why you may start as early as your 20s and 30s, Dr Sethi suggests that vitamin deficiencies may have something to do with it. 

He said: ‘This could indicate a deficiency of vitamin B12, which is crucial for [red blood cell] production and oxygen transport at the hair follicles.’

This could lead to graying at an early age.

About one in 100 Americans have a vitamin B12 deficiency, which could lead to extreme fatigue and weakness, along with weight loss, memory issues, and nerve issues.

Adults need about 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day, which is found in eggs, clams, salmon, and beef. 

Dr Sethi also noted that premature graying could be due to a copper deficiency. He said that copper ‘is responsible for melanin production, which disrupts color to the hair.’  

A National Health and Nutritional Survey found that up to one in four Americans might not be getting enough copper, which is 900 micrograms per day from foods like organ meats, shellfish, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and legumes. 

Excessive vitamin B12 may lead to digestive issues, headaches, weakness, and kidney damage, while too much copper has been linked to liver damage and heart rhythm issues. 

Bruising easily 

Not getting enough vitamin C deprives the body of collagean, leaving blood vessels less protected and more prone to bruising

If you frequently wake up with mysterious bruises, you might not be getting enough vitamin C. 

In addition to helping boost immune cell function, Dr Sethi said that vitamin C is responsible for the formation of collagen, a protein that provides structure and support to skin, bones, muscles, tendons, and other connective tissues. 

Without enough collagen, blood vessels lose protective cushioning that shields them from injuries, leaving the body subject to bruising. 

About one in 20 Americans have vitamin C deficiency, with the most severe form being scurvy. Foods most rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, pineapple, kiwi, and leafy greens. 

Dr Sethi also said that easy bruising may indicate deficiency in vitamin K1, which helps in blood clotting. Up to one in three Americans don’t get enough of the nutrient, which is found in leafy greens, dried herbs, and soybeans. 

Excessive collagen has been shown to cause kidney stones, headaches, and fatigue, while too much vitamin K1 could cause liver damage.