Did you know that your body has unique ways of telling you that you’re missing nutrients? Fortunately, functional medicine and IV therapy from our Toronto practice can offer tailored strategies to address your unique nutrient deficiencies.  

A balanced diet can help sustain and replenish personal amounts of nutrients. However, due to the excessive use of processing in the Western diet, sometimes it’s difficult to increase or maintain nutrient levels for optimal health. 

At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre (TFMC), it’s not uncommon for us to meet patients with vitamin and mineral deficiencies. We offer help with a personalized service of health care, which may include a custom-made IV drip, dietary recommendations, and lab testing to alleviate these health concerns. Below, we list some common indicators for nutritional deficiencies for your educational purposes. 

6 Key Signs You’re Lacking Nutrients

1. 1. Hair loss: A lack of iron,  vitamin B2 (riboflavin), folate, biotin, and B12 have been associated with hair loss. Further research is needed, but knowing vitamin deficiencies are linked to hair loss, “… may represent a modifiable risk factor associated with the development, prevention, and treatment of alopecia,” comments a Dermatology and Therapy review. 
   2. Restless leg syndrome (RLS): RLS involves awkward tingling in the legs that triggers an urge to move them. The reason why this condition happens is not conclusive, though studies have linked low iron levels to RLS. In fact, research has noted that pregnancy is a time when RLS may appear due to a drop in iron levels. 
   3. Constipation: Vitamin D deficiencies can be expressed as constipation. One study from the World Journal of Gastroenterology showed that vitamin D shortages may cause “…intestinal motility disorders. Furthermore, patients showing the latter clinical condition are frequently affected by anxiety and depression symptoms which severely impair their quality of life,” confirms the article. 
   4. Bleeding gums: If you get this frequently, get checked out by a healthcare provider (i.e. functional naturopathic doctor) – there’s a chance you may not be absorbing enough vitamin C. This must be addressed because vitamin C contributes to optimizing cellular health for daily functioning. As a potent antioxidant, the vitamin also helps support wound healing and immune health. 
   5. Canker sores: A lack of B vitamins has been shown to lead to recurring mouth/canker sores. A study from the Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine showed that after three months of taking a B complex supplement, patients with persistent mouth ulcers experienced a “significant sustained clinical improvement.” 
   6. Brittle nails and hair: Biotin is required in the conversion of food to energy. Some of this much-needed energy goes to sustaining skin health, which can promote healthy hair and nails. It’s no wonder then that biotin deficiency symptoms tend to include experiencing splitting hair and brittle nails.

So, how are these shortcomings treated? A micronutrient treatment using the functional medicine model can help target these deficiencies. Read more in the next section. 

Article You May Also Like: Our IV Therapy Toronto Lounge Presents: 6 Common Signs that Point to Nutrient Deficiency

What’s next? How we alleviate vitamin and mineral deficiencies

Individual patients are not alike due to genetics, environmental exposures, lifestyle factors, different dietary needs, and such. This is why our TFMC clinicians adhere to the integrative functional medicine model – to address what exactly is happening in your biology. 

To treat your nutritional deficiency, an initial consultation is needed first. This appointment will include a hearty chat between yourself and our functional healthcare provider about your health history, current quality of life, health goals, etc. We will likely discuss lab testing to quantify levels of vitamins and minerals, too. These results will be applied to tailoring your treatment plan, especially for customizing doses of nutrients for IV nutrient therapy. 

After we’ve analyzed your core components, including lab results, your treatment plan can be drafted and may include oral supplementation. If we suspect that you have issues with the absorption of nutrients, liposomal supplements may be advised. For patients with malabsorption or concerns fulfilling nutrient needs orally, intravenous therapy drips can be prescribed. IV drip therapy can potentially hasten your process of recovery because a nutritional formula is directed into your vein and blood stream immediately. The digestive tract is untouched with the intravenous route, which assures you receive a full absorption of vitamins without losing amounts to the digestive process. Intravenous drips can also prevent unwanted side effects related to oral supplementation, such as an upset stomach. 

Vitamin IV therapy and other functional medicine treatments can be accessed from our private downtown clinic in Toronto. Uncover the beneficial effects of “custom-made” healthcare today for your nutrient deficiencies. 

About our functional approach to wellness

Our clinic encourages you to draw from a wide range of treatment modalities to promote symptom relief and potentially target the source of your chief health concerns. 

When you opt for a tailored treatment plan from us, you may find a wide range of therapies linked to Western and naturopathic treatments, holistic nutrition, hormone replacement therapies, herbal medicines, acupuncture, and more. Consider this a personalized toolbox for your wellness! Our clinicians boast experience tailoring therapy treatments for various health conditions, such as poor muscle recovery, autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, food sensitivities, cellular damage, hormonal imbalances, chronic fatigue syndrome, fatty liver disease, post-disease symptoms, and more. 

Our IV Lounge is inside the TFMC for patients who take intravenous therapy for supportive measures. When IV vitamin drips are administered with daily oral supplementation, additional functional medicine treatments, and healthy day-to-day practices, they can promote optimal functioning. IV therapy drips and their doses are adapted with functional medicine principles and compounded on a daily basis. Our IV menu is designed for countless needs, which is why we offer high-dose vitamin C drip, a medley of amino acids (i.e. glutamic acid), folic acid, major antioxidants (i.e. glutathione), vitamin A, vitamin E, NAD IV therapy, and more. Glutathione, B12, and vitamin D injection therapies can also be administered in our Lounge. 

It’s time to explore new ways to amplify energy levels, immune function, and more! Let’s customize your treatment plan to target your unique needs – start today by requesting IV therapy from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

 

References

Almohanna, H. M., Ahmed, A. A., Tsatalis, J. P., & Tosti, A. (2019). The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatology and Therapy, 9(1), 51-70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6

Guo EL, Katta R. Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use. Dermatol Pract Concept. 2017 Jan 31;7(1):1-10. doi: 10.5826/dpc.0701a01. PMID: 28243487; PMCID: PMC5315033.

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research; Marriott BM, Carlson SJ, editors. Nutritional Needs In Cold And In High-Altitude Environments: Applications for Military Personnel in Field Operations. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1996. 14, Micronutrient Deficiency States and Thermoregulation in the Cold. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232854/

Kiani AK, Dhuli K, Donato K, Aquilanti B, Velluti V, Matera G, Iaconelli A, Connelly ST, Bellinato F, Gisondi P, Bertelli M. Main nutritional deficiencies. J Prev Med Hyg 2022;63(suppl.3):E93-E101.https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2752

Minár M, Košutzká Z, Habánová H, Rusňák I, Planck K, Valkovič P. Restless legs syndrome in pregnancy is connected with iron deficiency. Sleep Med. 2015 May;16(5):589-92. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2014.11.023. Epub 2015 Mar 3. PMID: 25900141.

Nadeem S, Munim TF, Hussain HF, Hussain DF. Determinants of Vitamin D deficiency in asymptomatic healthy young medical students. Pak J Med Sci. 2018 Sep-Oct;34(5):1248-1252. doi: 10.12669/pjms.345.15668. PMID: 30344585; PMCID: PMC6191788.

Nolan A, McIntosh WB, Allam BF, Lamey PJ. Recurrent aphthous ulceration: vitamin B1, B2 and B6 status and response to replacement therapy. J Oral Pathol Med. 1991 Sep;20(8):389-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1991.tb00950.x. PMID: 1941656.

Panarese, A., Pesce, F., Porcelli, P., Riezzo, G., Iacovazzi, P. A., Leone, C. M., Carne, M. D., Rinaldi, C. M., & Shahini, E. (2019). Chronic functional constipation is strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 25(14), 1729-1740. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v25.i14.1729