Surprising Signs You Have A Vitamin Or Mineral Deficiency Gallery

You don't necessarily need a multivitamin or supplements to stay healthy — in an ideal world, you would be getting all the nutrients you need from your diet. But it's hard to know exactly what your body needs and when without the input of a nutritionist or a doctor.

Nutrient deficiencies can happen when you don't get enough of the vitamins and minerals you need over a long period of time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Second Nutrition Report, less than 10 percent of the U.S. population has deficiencies of most major vitamins and minerals. However, specific populations, such as pregnant women, infants, or the elderly, are still at heightened risk for such deficiencies, and a nutrient imbalance may lead to serious medical conditions.

Just because you may be susceptible to a vitamin or mineral deficiency at some point doesn't mean you need to run out to your local Vitamin World or GNC and pick up a tub of multivitamins or individual high-dose tablets or capsules. Dietary supplements come with their own set of risks; they may contain undisclosed additives or active ingredients that can have strong side effects, even sometimes interacting dangerously with prescription drugs.

The best way to approach a vitamin or mineral deficiency is to first identify whether you have one by consulting a doctor. The next steps should include either incorporating a supplement option or adding certain foods to your diet to address the specific deficiencies.

Watch for these 10 signs of a deficiency if you're concerned you might be missing something from your diet.

Michael Serrur and Holly Van Hare contributed to this roundup.

A rich or decadent meal can lead to a loose bowel movement, but persistent episodes of diarrhea may be evidence that the body is not retaining nutrients. Staying hydrated by sipping liquids like tea or water between meals can help alleviate the symptoms, but it's also important to avoid alcohol, carbonated drinks, and greasy foods until the condition disappears. If you want to settle your stomach naturally, click here.

Are you the one in the office who's somehow always getting sick? It might not just be bad luck — your immune system could be faltering. Immunity relies on proper nutrition to work at its best. Load up on orange juice, leafy greens, and other immune-boosting foods to replenish the nutrients you're missing.

It's difficult to pinpoint the cause behind a mood swing: they can be triggered by a bad day at work, family issues, or even seasonal depression. But sometimes erratic waves of emotion are the result of a nutrient deficiency. Low energy, irritability, and feeling down are all indicators that you're experiencing an internal imbalance. Increasing your intake of B vitamins through consumption of lean meats, legumes, and green leafy vegetables can help balance your mood.

Your skin can tell you a lot about your diet. The elasticity and health of your skin is reliant on vitamins A, C, and E, as well as biotin and omega-3 fatty acids. If you don't get enough of these nutrients, your skin might become dry, acne-prone, and wrinkled.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world, but it can largely go unrecognized because it shares symptoms with other conditions. Iron helps your body to transport oxygen, which is essential for normal physical and cognitive functioning. Iron-rich foods include beef, chicken liver, clams, and oysters; though plant-based foods such as lentils, beans, and spinach do contain iron, it is of the nonheme variety, which isn't as easily absorbed by the body. An iron deficiency isn't the only cause of fatigue, however. Talk to your doctor to rule out some of these other common reasons you might be feeling tired.