Many Indian women are brushing off persistent health niggles like constant tiredness, muscle cramps, and hair fall, attributing them to stress, ageing, or a hectic routine. However, medical experts warn these could be early red flags for underlying mineral deficiencies, which are crucial to address for long-term well-being.
Why Minerals Matter for Women's Health
Vitamins and minerals are fundamental for the body's daily operations. For women, they hold particular importance as they are vital for boosting immunity, fighting infections, strengthening bones, and regulating hormones. A deficiency, if left unchecked, can spiral into serious health complications. The challenge lies in the subtlety of initial symptoms, leading to frequent misdiagnosis or neglect.
Dr N Sapna Lulla, Lead Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Aster CMI Hospital in Bangalore, emphasises the critical role minerals play in a woman's overall health, hormonal balance, and reproductive wellness. She notes that the early warning signs are often dismissed.
Key Deficiency Symptoms You Might Be Overlooking
Dr Lulla highlights several common mineral deficiencies and their frequently ignored symptoms in women:
Sodium Deficiency: This can manifest as frequent headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, low blood pressure, and dizziness. Women who sweat excessively, follow very low-salt diets, or drink excessive water are at higher risk.
Magnesium Deficiency: Often shows up as fatigue, muscle cramps, poor sleep quality, anxiety, headaches, and irregular periods. It can significantly worsen premenstrual symptoms and mood swings.
Potassium Deficiency: May lead to muscle weakness, leg cramps, constipation, heart palpitations, and persistently low energy levels. Women with poor dietary habits or on long-term medications need to be especially vigilant.
Calcium Deficiency: Extremely common among women, it can cause bone pain, backaches, brittle nails, frequent fractures, dental issues, and muscle spasms. Ignoring it increases the risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Zinc Deficiency: This can result in frequent infections, significant hair fall, delayed wound healing, acne, a loss of taste or smell, and menstrual irregularities. It also adversely affects fertility and skin health.
Iron Deficiency: Perhaps the most prevalent due to menstruation and pregnancy, its symptoms include constant tiredness, pale skin, breathlessness, hair loss, dizziness, and poor concentration.
Selenium & Copper Deficiencies: Selenium shortage can weaken immunity, cause hair thinning, muscle pain, fatigue, and thyroid problems. Copper deficiency may lead to anaemia unresponsive to iron supplements, numbness, weak immunity, bone issues, and premature greying of hair.
Diagnosis and Natural Solutions
"If these symptoms persist, women should consult a doctor for proper evaluation and blood tests, as early diagnosis and balanced nutrition can prevent long-term health issues," advises Dr Lulla.
For most, a combination of regular exercise and a nutritious diet rich in fruits and vegetables should be sufficient. Dr Lulla recommends sourcing minerals from natural foods: calcium from milk, curd, and cheese; selenium from eggs and Brazil nuts; iron from spinach, kale, and leafy greens; potassium from bananas; zinc from chickpeas and seafood; and magnesium from nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Paying attention to your body's signals and incorporating a diverse, mineral-rich diet are essential first steps for Indian women to safeguard their health against these common deficiencies.
