If you are eating a nutrient-rich diet or taking vitamins, you are probably the type of person who cares about your health. But what if you are not absorbing nutrients, even though you are consuming them?
Testing for Nutrient Deficiencies
You may be having trouble absorbing nutrients if you have risk factors, if you notice signs of deficiencies, or if your diet is not sufficient.
Knowing risk factors
These are some risk factors for malabsorption, or decreased absorption of nutrients.
- Having a condition such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease or colitis, irritable bowel disease, or cystic fibrosis.
- Being a bariatric surgery patient, especially with gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or duodenal switch procedures.
- Being a surgery patient after an intestinal procedure.
- Having lactose intolerance.
Noticing signs
You may also notice signs of having a nutrient deficiency. The signs differ depending on which nutrient you may be low in. These are some possible signs that you are not absorbing nutrients properly.
- Fatigue. Many nutrients are essential for energy production in your body. Without them, you may feel tired. You can also have muscle fatigue if you do not have the right nutrients for muscle contractions.
- Weight gain. If you are too tired to move as much as normal, you might gain weight.
- Infections. Some nutrients are essential for the immune system to function properly.
- Shortness of breath. Some nutrients are essential for delivering oxygen to the cells in your body. Without enough oxygen, you will have trouble getting enough air, especially when trying to exert yourself.
- Hair, skin, and nails. Healthy hair, skin, and nails depend on a variety of nutrients. Hair can look dry, skin can look dry or show a rash, and nails can be dull or brittle.
- Mood changes. A deficiency in nutrients that are essential for brain health may interfere with mood and make you more anxious or less able to relax.
- Trouble sleeping. A number of nutrients can lead to poor sleep when they are deficient.
- Muscle or joint pain. Some nutrients are needed for normal muscle function or for healthy joint cushioning. Without them, you may feel pain.
Keep in mind that not all nutrients show signs of deficiency. For example, you are unlikely to have signs of calcium deficiency. Instead, your bones may become lower in mineral density over the course of years.
Assessing intake
Take a look at what you eat and any supplements. This is especially important if you are on a restrictive or special diet. These are some examples of common dietary restrictions and the nutrients that could be missing.
- Gluten-free: lacking iron and B vitamins that are in fortified grains
- Dairy: lacking calcium and vitamin D from milk, cheese, and yogurt
- Vegan or plant-based: lacking heme iron and vitamin B12 from animal-based foods.
- Low-carb: low in folic acid from grains
Also look at your supplements. Sometimes, there may be issues such as thinking you are taking a complete multivitamin and mineral supplement, but realizing that it is just a multivitamin and doesn’t have minerals. The PatchAid Multivitamin Plus Patch has vitaminsand minerals.
Getting blood tests
For many nutrients, your healthcare provider can assess a deficiency after a blood test. Iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin D are examples of nutrients that are relatively easy to assess with one or more common blood tests that are available in most labs or clinics. However, it is more difficult to assess your body’s status of some nutrients, such as calcium.
How Vitamin Patches Can Help
If you have tried vitamins in the past and they haven’t worked for you, it is possible that you haven’t been taking them properly. Or, you may not have been absorbing oral supplements well. For many reasons, vitamin patches may help even if oral supplements did not.
Nutrients are absorbed across the skin.
PatchAid Patches are transdermal patches. They deliver nutrients across the skin and straight into the bloodstream. In this way, they avoid the digestive process. That means that any malabsorption issues you may have are not an issue with vitamin patches. Just stick the patch on your skin and allow the nutrients to cross transdermally.
They don’t cause digestive issues.
Some oral supplements cause digestive issues or side effects related to digest issues. For example, iron supplements are known for causing constipation. Other supplements may cause an upset stomach. In addition, oral supplements may have carriers that can trigger flare-ups. For example, if you have celiac disease, a capsule that has gluten in it can lead to trouble.
You can use them anytime.
Unlike with oral supplements, vitamin patches are not related to what you eat. You can use them regardless of when you eat a meal and do not need to worry about whether you have a full or empty stomach. This can make it easier to take your vitamins.
You can use multiple patches at once.
That way, you do not need to juggle which oral supplements to take when. You and your healthcare provider can decide which nutrients would be best for you, and you can pick out the PatchAid Patches that will help you reach your goals. You can use them at the same time without trying to remember which to take when.
Having certain levels of nutrients in your body can help your body function optimally. Getting enough from your diet or supplements is a first step, but there may be times when your body doesn’t absorb one or more nutrients properly. If that is the case for you, PatchAid Topical Vitamin Patches may be able to help.* They are easy to use and are absorbed across the skin. Ask your healthcare provider if they may be right for you.
*The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. PatchAid products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Anyone with a medical condition should seek the advice of a licensed medical practitioner. Individual results may vary.
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