Know Your Nutritional Status

Know Your Nutritional Status: Symptoms, Tests, and Preventing Insufficiencies

We often associate nutrient deficiencies with undernourished populations or restrictive diets… but the reality is that even health-conscious adults and athletes can have nutritional gaps without realizing it. Many symptoms we blame on stress, aging, or a busy lifestyle – like fatigue, brain fog, poor recovery, or poor mood – could actually be your body’s way of signaling a deficiency.

Nutritional testing can be a powerful tool in some cases, but it’s not perfect. Understanding which nutrients can be tested accurately, recognizing the signs of suboptimal levels, and implementing smart dietary strategies can go a long way toward preventing problems before they start or correcting them once they’re apparent.

Common Signs of Nutritional Insufficiencies

While true clinical deficiencies are less common in well-fed populations like the US, subclinical insufficiencies (levels too low to support optimal function) are widespread and often overlooked. Here are some of the most common nutrient shortfalls and what to watch for:

Nutrient - Common Signs & Symptoms - Notes

Iron

Fatigue, pale skin, brittle nails, shortness of breath, cold hands/feet, poor focus

Especially common in women; often due to menstruation or low intake of heme iron

Vitamin B12

Tingling/numbness, fatigue, memory issues, balance problems, smooth tongue, mood swings

Deficiency common in vegans/vegetarians, older adults, with certain medications, or people with gut malabsorption

Vitamin D

Fatigue, low mood, frequent illness, bone/muscle pain, poor recovery

Prevalent in winter, dark pigmented skin, or those with little sun exposure

Magnesium

Muscle cramps/twitches, poor sleep, headaches, irritability, constipation

Often low in athletes, stressed individuals, or people with GI disorders

Zinc

Frequent colds, poor wound healing, low appetite, skin issues, reduced taste/smell

Vegan diets high in phytates may inhibit absorption

Omega-3s

Dry skin, joint stiffness, low mood, trouble concentrating, brittle nails

Often insufficient in Western diets lacking fatty fish

Calcium

Muscle spasms, brittle nails, tooth decay, numbness/tingling, frequent fractures

Often when dairy or fortified alternatives are limited

Vitamin C

Easy bruising, slow wound healing, bleeding gums, fatigue, dry skin

Smoking and high stress deplete vitamin C stores

Vitamin A

Dry skin, poor night vision, frequent infections, rough/bumpy skin

Fat-free diets may reduce intake/absorption

Iodine

Fatigue, cold intolerance, weight gain, goiter (neck swelling), dry skin

Risk increases without iodized salt or seaweed/seafood intake

Folate (B9)

Fatigue, mouth sores, irritability, poor concentration, anemia

Important for pregnant individuals; depleted by alcohol

Protein

Edema (fluid retention), slow recovery, brittle hair/nails, hunger/ poor satiety, slower recovery, or difficulty maintaining muscle mass

Often low in older adults or restrictive eaters

Sodium/

Potassium

Headaches, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat

Imbalance common in dehydration, athletes, or low-carb diets

These symptoms can have many causes, but they often overlap with nutritional insufficiencies, especially when multiple systems (mood, energy, digestion) are affected.

General Red Flags That May Signal Nutrient Insufficiencies

Chronic low energy
Poor skin, hair, or nail health
Frequent infections or slow healing
Brain fog or trouble concentrating
Mood swings or low motivation
Cravings (especially for salt, ice, or sugar)
Digestive issues like bloating or constipation

How to Test for Nutrient Insufficiencies (and What to Keep in Mind)

If you suspect a nutrient insufficiency or just want to optimize your health, testing can be a helpful tool. However, not all nutrients can be accurately measured with standard lab tests. Some reflect short-term intake, while others don't reflect tissue stores or functional status very well at all.

Nutrients That Can Be More Reliably Tested:

Vitamin D (25(OH)D blood test)

The most commonly tested nutrient
Optimal range: 40–60 ng/mL for general health
Deficiency: <20 ng/mL; Insufficiency: 20–30 ng/mL

Iron (Best when tested with a full iron panel)

Serum ferritin (iron stores) – low levels suggest deficiency, but it’s also affected by inflammation
Serum iron, TIBC, and transferrin saturation complete the picture
Especially important test for menstruating women and endurance athletes

Vitamin B12

Measured as serum B12 (deficiency <200 pg/mL)
Methylmalonic acid (MMA) and homocysteine levels may be better functional indicators if B12 levels are borderline

Folate

Serum folate reflects recent intake
Red blood cell (RBC) folate may show longer-term status

Omega-3 Index

A blood test measuring EPA + DHA levels in red blood cell (RBC) membranes
A level >8% is considered optimal for heart and brain health

Nutrients That Are Less Reliable or Difficult to Accurately Assess with Standard Labs:

Magnesium (RBC magnesium)

Serum magnesium often remains normal even when total body stores are low
Red blood cell (RBC) magnesium gives a better picture of intracellular levels

Zinc and Copper

Can be tested via serum or plasma
Not always reflective of total body stores, but useful when interpreted with symptoms or food log

Calcium

Serum calcium is tightly regulated by the body and doesn’t reflect dietary intake or bone status
Better assessed through dietary analysis and bone density scans (for long-term issues)

Vitamin K

Serum levels are not routinely tested; status is often inferred from dietary intake or clotting function

Vitamins E and A

Fat-soluble and stored in tissues—serum levels don’t always correlate with status
Functional signs or intake review may be more informative

Vitamin B6

Harder to interpret and less often clinically relevant unless symptoms or disease state suggest a problem

Other Testing Approaches Available:

Comprehensive micronutrient panels (e.g., SpectraCell, Genova Diagnostics, InsideTracker)

Offer insight into functional nutrient status but can be expensive and are not always standardized

Hair analysis, urine tests, or functional medicine panels

May offer clues for complex cases, such as heavy metal exposures, but lack consistent validation for many nutrients

Practical Tip: Use Testing + Food Logs

Even basic tracking of your weekly food intake (via apps like Cronometer) alongside blood work can help you:

Identify consistent gaps or excesses
Adjust your diet before deficiencies develop
Supplement only when needed

Proven Strategies to Minimize Nutrient Deficiency Risk

Even without testing, there are proactive ways to support nutrient sufficiency and overall health.

Eat a Wide Variety of Whole Foods From All Food Groups

Rotate your food choices: vary proteins, grains, and vegetables weekly
Include many colorful fruits and vegetables to diversify antioxidant & phytonutrient intake
Don’t rely on the same ‘ol “healthy” meals every week. Food monotony can lead to subtle nutrient gaps and inadvertent deficiencies

Pair Foods to Improve Absorption

Iron + Vitamin C: Add citrus or bell peppers to meals with beans or spinach
Fat-soluble vitamins + healthy fats: Drizzle olive oil over veggies, or include avocado with leafy greens
Avoid tea/coffee with iron-rich meals: Tannins inhibit iron absorption
Separate high-calcium and high-iron meals when optimizing for both

Feed Your Gut

Support digestion with fermented foods (e.g., kefir, yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut)
Address chronic bloating, reflux, or constipation early
Be cautious with long-term use of antacids and acid blockers (PPIs), which reduce absorption of B12, calcium, and magnesium

Supplement Smart, Based on Need

Use supplements strategically if intake is low or labs confirm a deficiency
Reassess after 8–12 weeks; more is not always better
Avoid megadoses unless medically prescribed, it’s possible to accumulate toxic levels of supplements

Get Sunlight, Sleep, and Movement

Morning and mid-day sun supports vitamin D synthesis and circadian rhythm
Sleep regulates hormones related to appetite, stress, and nutrient balance
Exercise improves digestion, circulation, and metabolic health

You don’t need to be a lab and supplement junkie to stay on top of your nutritional status, but paying attention to your body’s signals, eating with variety, and testing when appropriate can help you catch issues before they spiral into bigger problems. If you’re feeling off and you’re doing “everything right,” it could be your nutrient status. Don’t overlook the basics. Stay well-informed, aware, and give your cells what they need to thrive.