Is it true that a routine blood test cannot detect vitamin and mineral deficiencies?
It is true unless they are requested. In all analyses the information requested by the physician appears. If the Internal Medicine specialist requests certain vitamins, such as vitamin A, they will appear. However, it is true that this is not normally done. Cholesterol, glucose, kidney function or liver function are usually requested in normal clinical tests, but vitamin levels are not usually requested.
Most common vitamin and mineral deficiencies in our country
In general, vitamin D is the most frequently deficient vitamin. As for minerals, there are multiple deficiencies. Many patients present zinc, copper, iron, etc. deficiencies. But the most important because of its clinical significance and because it is very important for health is vitamin D, which is low in 80% of the population.
Vitamin D is commonly known as the sunshine vitamin. But we have to think that, nowadays, we protect ourselves. Except in summer the absorption of vitamin D by the sun is very little. And we should not rely too much on the sun, as it is very dangerous for the skin.
Are there any serious studies on the subject?
Yes, there are several. For example, there are statistical studies such as: “Who has better vitamin D, the Spanish or the Swedes? To this question we would all answer that the Spaniards because there is much more sun here. And this is not the case. The Swedes have better vitamin D levels. And this is because they, aware that there is no sun, already take vitamin D and the authorities put the vitamin in milk and certain foods.
On the other hand, here in Spain, this is not programmed as a necessity to supplement food because it is understood, or it was understood until now (less and less), that with the Sun we already had enough, and it is not so.
Why are there vitamin deficiencies in the country of the Mediterranean diet?
Of vitamin D, specifically, because there are no foods that contain vitamin D, except for those that are half “forbidden”. For example, butter, eggs, milk fats. These are foods that we are usually told not to eat because they contain cholesterol. In addition, the vitamin D that foods carry is little, and it is usually in fatty foods that, in general, we try and we should not take. The way to acquire that vitamin D would be with supplements.
The absorption of vitamin D also has a genetic basis. That is, there are people who do not have effective vitamin D receptors because they do not have the correct vitamin D receptor genes and still absorb less vitamin D, which is very common. It is common to see people with deficient vitamin D receptor genes. In these cases it is still necessary to supplement the levels of this vitamin with more effort. Our health will be very grateful.