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Vitamin & Nutrient Deficiency Checker

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Vitamin & Nutrient Deficiency Checker — What Are You Missing? | Enavec Pharmacy
🌿 Symptom-Based · Evidence-Backed · Free

Vitamin & Nutrient
Deficiency Checker

Select your symptoms and instantly discover which vitamins and nutrients you may be missing — with personalised food sources and supplement recommendations.

40+ symptoms analysed 15 nutrient deficiencies Evidence-based matching 100% private

Select Your Symptoms

Tap every symptom you have been experiencing for 4 or more weeks. Select all that apply — the more you select, the more accurate your results.

0 symptoms selected
⚕ Note: This tool provides educational guidance based on published symptom-deficiency associations. It does not diagnose medical conditions. Many symptoms have multiple possible causes beyond nutritional deficiency. Consult a healthcare provider and request blood tests to confirm any suspected deficiency before self-supplementing.

Your Deficiency Analysis

Your Reported Symptoms

Likely Nutrient Deficiencies

Ranked by likelihood based on your symptom pattern

Priority Food Sources for Your Deficiencies

Eat more of these foods to address your identified nutrient gaps

Your Next Steps

What to do now to address your nutrient gaps

01
Request blood tests
Ask your doctor for a full blood count (FBC), ferritin, vitamin D (25-OH), B12, and folate. These tests confirm suspected deficiencies and establish your baseline levels before supplementing.
02
Start with diet first
Improve dietary intake of deficient nutrients before supplementing where possible. Food sources come with cofactors that improve absorption — supplements alone without dietary improvement is less effective.
03
Choose targeted supplements
Begin with the highest-priority deficiency identified. Give each supplement 8–12 weeks of consistent daily use before evaluating results. Don't start everything at once.
04
Recheck in 3 months
Repeat blood tests after 3 months of supplementation to confirm levels have improved. Adjust dose or form if levels are not responding. Some people need higher doses or different supplement forms for absorption.

Save your deficiency report

Nutrient Deficiency FAQ

The most common questions about vitamin and mineral deficiencies

The most prevalent deficiencies include Vitamin D (widespread despite abundant sunshine), Iron (affecting up to 70% of women in some regions), Vitamin A (especially in rural populations), Iodine (in non-coastal regions), Zinc (common in populations relying on phytate-rich staples), and Vitamin B12 (in vegetarian and vegan populations). Vitamin C deficiency is less common but occurs with low fresh fruit and vegetable intake.
Iron deficiency — the world's most common nutritional deficiency — causes: persistent fatigue and weakness, pale skin and pale inner eyelids, brittle nails that may become spoon-shaped, hair loss, frequent headaches, cold hands and feet, shortness of breath, and frequent infections. Iron deficiency anaemia also causes heart palpitations and significantly impaired cognitive function.
Vitamin D deficiency symptoms are subtle and non-specific: bone and muscle aches, persistent fatigue, frequent infections, depression, hair loss, and muscle weakness. It is extremely common even in sunny countries because melanin reduces UV conversion and modern indoor lifestyles limit sun exposure.
B12 deficiency causes tingling or numbness in hands and feet, difficulty with balance, memory problems, extreme fatigue, pale or yellowish skin, an inflamed tongue, mouth ulcers, vision changes, and depression. It is particularly common in strict vegetarians, vegans, older adults, and people on long-term metformin or proton pump inhibitors.
Yes — iron deficiency is the most common nutritional cause of diffuse hair thinning in women. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with alopecia areata. Zinc deficiency causes hair breakage and loss. Protein deficiency impairs keratin production. Omega-3 deficiency reduces scalp health. A comprehensive nutritional approach addressing these gaps is important before attributing hair loss to genetics alone.
Symptom-based analysis identifies likely contributors — it does not replace blood testing. Many deficiency symptoms overlap significantly (fatigue is a symptom of iron, vitamin D, B12, and magnesium deficiency). This tool uses evidence-based symptom-to-deficiency associations to prioritise likely deficiencies for investigation. Blood tests are needed for confirmation.
Severe vitamin D deficiency is treated with a loading dose for 8-12 weeks followed by maintenance dosing. Iron deficiency requires 3-6 months of supplementation to replenish stores. Vitamin B12 deficiency with neurological symptoms may require injection for faster correction. The most important factor for all deficiencies is consistency — skipping days significantly extends the correction timeline.

Understanding Vitamin & Nutrient Deficiencies

Nutritional deficiencies are among the most widespread and underdiagnosed health conditions globally. The World Health Organisation estimates that over 2 billion people worldwide are affected by micronutrient deficiencies — sometimes called "hidden hunger" because the signs are often subtle, gradual, and easily attributed to other causes like stress, ageing, or lifestyle factors.

Why Deficiencies Are So Common Even in People Who Eat Well

Many people assume that eating a varied diet protects them from deficiencies — but this is not always the case. Soil depletion has reduced the mineral content of crops significantly over the past century, meaning the same food contains less zinc, iron, and magnesium than it did 50 years ago. Phytates in grains and legumes bind to minerals and prevent absorption. Modern food processing destroys heat-sensitive vitamins. Stress, certain medications (antacids, metformin, oral contraceptives), gastrointestinal conditions, and ageing all reduce the efficiency of nutrient absorption.

The Challenge of Vitamin D in Sunny Countries

One of the most surprising epidemiological findings in recent nutritional science is the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in countries close to the equator — including Nigeria. Several factors explain this apparent paradox: darker skin melanin significantly reduces UV-to-D3 conversion (a person with very dark skin requires 10–50 times more sun exposure than someone with fair skin to produce the same amount of vitamin D); most modern Nigerians spend the majority of their day indoors; sunscreen and clothing (including hijab for Muslim women) further reduce UV exposure. The result is widespread deficiency in a country where the sun shines intensely year-round.

When to Get Blood Tests

A symptom-based checker like this one is a valuable starting point for identifying which deficiencies to investigate — but blood tests are the only way to confirm deficiency and establish severity. The most clinically useful tests are: serum ferritin (the best marker of iron stores, more informative than haemoglobin alone); 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D); serum vitamin B12 and folate; full blood count; and serum zinc. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which tests are most appropriate for your symptoms.

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