Our body is the most efficient manufacturing plant in the world. From some 40-odd essential nutrients (a handful of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, water, and air), our body produces more than 10,000 compounds. Not a bad return — 10,000 from 40! Each of these 40-odd essential nutrients is really essential. Low levels of any one of them can raise havoc with our entire system.
For example, more than 300 enzymes require magnesium for proper functioning. Numerous problems including muscle spasms, heart irregularities, osteoporosis and nerve malfunctioning can be caused by low magnesium levels. Daily medical journal headlines highlight the need for adequate nutrient intake. “Folic Acid Reduces Risk of Colon Cancer”; “Low Vitamin Levels Linked to Higher Risk of Angina in Men”; “Cancer Deaths Linked to Low Antioxidant Vitamin Levels”; and “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Linked to Magnesium Deficiency” are some of the titles of medical articles sitting on my desk right now!
How likely is it that you suffer from inadequate levels of one or more nutrients? If your diet is at all like the Standard American Diet (SAD) you are at risk. Government studies reveal widespread nutritional inadequacies:
| Nutrient | Percentage of people not meeting RDA for selected nutrients |
| Vitamin A | 50.1% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 45.0% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 34.0% |
| Preformed niacin (B3) | 32.9% |
| Pyridoxine (B6) | 80.2% |
| Vitamin B12 | 33.5% |
| Vitamin C | 40.8% |
| Calcium | 67.9% |
| Iron | 57.3% |
| Magnesium | 74.4% |
| Phosphorus | 26.7% |
Are you a good Nutrition Detective? The following symptoms could be signs of nutrient deficiency. See if you know how nutrients affect your health picture. (Click here for answers.)
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