Health & Wellness

Nutritional Deficiencies and Illness

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Nutritional deficiencies and illness
Nutritional deficiencies and illness

You might be eating well, taking supplements, and doing your best to stay healthy—but still feel off. The truth is, nutritional deficiencies are far more common than most people realize, and they can silently undermine your health in ways that traditional lab work rarely uncovers.

At LifeWorks Wellness Center, we specialize in identifying and correcting micronutrient deficiencies—often the hidden root of fatigue, brain fog, gut issues, mood disorders, and even chronic disease.

With a simple blood test, we can detect imbalances in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids, allowing us to tailor treatments that get real results.

Feeling off but can’t figure out why?

We’ll find out what your body is missing!

📞 Call us at 727-466-6789 or submit an inquiry online to get your nutrient levels tested today!

Why Nutritional Deficiencies Matter

Your body relies on dozens of essential micronutrients—vitamins and minerals—to function properly. These nutrients aren’t made by the body, so we have to get them from food and supplementation. When your body doesn’t get the right amount, or can’t absorb what you’re eating, a nutritional deficiency can develop.

According to the CDC, over half of the world’s children under 5 suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies¹. But it’s not just a childhood issue—most adults also have undiagnosed deficiencies that worsen over time and contribute to chronic illness, accelerated aging, and poor quality of life.

Testing Is the First Step to Healing

At LifeWorks, we recommend an annual micronutrient test to screen for deficiencies in:

  • Vitamins
  • Minerals
  • Amino acids
  • Essential fatty acids

This testing gives our practitioners the data needed to build a precise, customized plan that supports your body’s healing and performance. If we don’t know what your body is lacking, we can’t effectively help you recover.

How do Deficiencies Affect the Body?

Symptoms of nutritional deficiencies vary and can be the root cause of many health conditions. A lack of certain nutrients can cause cancer, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, and contribute to many other diseases.

Micronutrient deficiencies don’t always show up right away. They often present as vague or chronic symptoms, such as:

  • Mood disorders
  • Fatigue
  • Brain Fog
  • Digestive Issues
  • Chronic Pain
  • Inflammation
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Weight Issues

These symptoms are found in many health conditions, which is why it is extremely important to know your micronutrient levels.

Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of Life

Amino acids are essential for building proteins—which your body uses for energy, muscle repair, neurotransmitter production, and gut lining regeneration.

If you’re not getting enough amino acids—or your body isn’t converting them properly—your energy may crash, your mood may suffer, and your ability to heal may slow down.

Did you know:

  • B vitamins are needed to convert amino acids into usable proteins.
  • You can have high amino acid levels—but if B vitamins are low, they may not be doing their job.
  • This can impact muscle growth, mood, gut health, and even your motivation or drive.

If your gut lining isn’t rebuilding every 3–4 days (as it should), you could be dealing with a leaky gut, leading to poor nutrient absorption and immune dysfunction.

Zinc, Vitamin A & Iodine: Your Immune Defense

  • Zinc & Vitamin A are critical for immune function and cancer surveillance. If you’re deficient, your body may struggle to eliminate abnormal cells.
  • Selenium is vital for fighting off viruses and supporting thyroid function.
  • Iodine is essential for producing thyroid hormones and maintaining breast health. One common sign of iodine deficiency? Fibrocystic breasts.

These aren’t fringe deficiencies; they’re incredibly common and widely overlooked.

Vitamin D: The Silent Deficiency

An estimated 95% of the population is low in Vitamin D—and it’s no surprise why.

Even those who spend time outdoors may not absorb or convert sunlight into usable Vitamin D, especially with glyphosate exposure (more on that below). Low Vitamin D is linked to:

  • High blood pressure
  • Increased cancer risk
  • Bone loss and soft bones
  • Low immune function
  • Mood issues and fatigue

We’ve been testing Vitamin D levels at LifeWorks since 1997—long before it became common practice. Sadly, many conventional practitioners still don’t test for it routinely.

The Glyphosate Problem: A Hidden Blocker

One of the most overlooked contributors to nutrient deficiency is glyphosate—the active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup®. It’s everywhere: in our food, water, and even in the air.

Glyphosate disrupts your body’s ability to:

  • Convert sunlight into Vitamin D
  • Absorb minerals properly
  • Maintain a healthy gut lining
  • Eliminate toxins effectively

We can test for glyphosate and help clear it from your system using detox therapies, ozone, IV nutrients, and lifestyle strategies. This is an essential part of restoring your nutrient balance and long-term health.

Conventional Medicine Often Misses Nutrient Deficiencies

Most traditional doctors don’t test for micronutrient levels—especially when they’re focused on treating symptoms with medications. This leads to a frustrating cycle of prescriptions without addressing the root cause.

At LifeWorks, we take a different approach. Our team uses comprehensive blood testing to measure over 125 nutrients, helping us identify the exact imbalances that you may have.

Why Standard Lab Work Isn’t Enough

Most conventional blood work you get doesn’t check your micronutrient levels. Even when basic panels are run, they often miss subtle but meaningful deficiencies—especially in:

  • Magnesium
  • B-complex vitamins
  • Amino acids
  • Fatty acids
  • Antioxidants like glutathione

Our advanced nutritional testing evaluates over 125 nutrients, giving you and your practitioner a precise map of what your body needs to thrive.

And because many of our patients also have heavy metal toxicity or chemical exposure, we run additional testing to uncover the full picture and guide personalized treatment.

The Importance of Diet

Even if you try to eat well, chances are your body isn’t getting—or absorbing—all the nutrients it needs. Unless you follow a carefully planned Paleo, Keto, or organic whole-food diet, it’s likely your system is being strained by processed foods, poor digestion, or environmental toxins.

At LifeWorks Wellness Center, we often find that nutritional imbalances are at the root of persistent symptoms. And while many people turn to supplements for help, taking them blindly can backfire.

Over-Supplementing Can Be Just as Problematic

Walk through any health store and you’ll find thousands of supplements with no clear guidance on how much your body actually needs. Over-supplementation can cause new symptoms, waste money, or even trigger negative health reactions. That’s why we don’t guess—we test.

With advanced nutrient testing and expert review, we provide each patient with a custom supplement plan that targets their exact deficiencies. And as your nutrient levels stabilize, we adjust your regimen to avoid unnecessary or excessive supplementation.

IV Nutrient Therapy for Rapid Replenishment

Sometimes, your body can’t absorb nutrients properly through food or supplements—especially if your gut is inflamed or compromised. That’s where nutritional IV therapy makes a powerful difference.

One of our most popular options is the Myers’ Cocktail, a blend of B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium. This IV is ideal for boosting the immune system, restoring energy, and improving absorption—especially for those who are magnesium deficient, which is very common.

💡 Did you know? Many people don’t absorb magnesium well through pills—but IV magnesium bypasses digestion and delivers what your cells need immediately.

Our Proven Track Record

For over 30 years, LifeWorks Wellness Center has helped thousands of patients recover from chronic conditions related to nutrient deficiencies. We work with a fully accredited lab specializing in micronutrient testing and combine lab data with our clinical expertise to deliver custom treatment plans that get results.

Our programs often include:

  • Nutritional IV therapy
  • Targeted supplement regimens
  • Detoxification protocols
  • Diet and lifestyle recommendations
  • Annual testing to monitor and adjust treatment

We Can Fix Your Nutrient Deficiencies

At LifeWorks Wellness Center we have helped thousands of patients recover from nutritional deficiencies and start feeling their best again. We can do the same for you!

Maybe your lack of energy, brain fog, or other health condition is caused by a simple nutrient deficiency. We can test and find out!

To get your nutrient levels tested call 727-466-6789 or submit an online inquiry

Benefits of Vitamins and Where to Find Them

The information below is from Harvard University which details the benefits of each vitamin and the food sources to get them².

RETINOIDS AND CAROTENE

vitamin A; includes retinol, retinal, retinyl esters, and retinoic acid and are also referred to as “preformed” vitamin A. Beta carotene can easily be converted to vitamin A as needed.

BENEFITS
Essential for vision Lycopene may lower prostate cancer risk. Keeps tissues and skin healthy. Plays an important role in bone growth and in the immune system. Diets rich in the carotenoids alpha carotene and lycopene seem to lower lung cancer risk. Carotenoids act as antioxidants. Foods rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin may protect against cataracts

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Sources of retinoids: beef liver, eggs, shrimp, fish, fortified milk, butter, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese
Sources of beta carotene: sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, squash, spinach, mangoes, turnip greens

DID YOU KNOW?
Many people get too much preformed vitamin A from food and supplements. Large amounts of supplemental vitamin A (but not beta carotene) can be harmful to bones.

THIAMIN

vitamin B1

BENEFITS
Helps convert food into energy. Needed for healthy skin, hair, muscles, and brain and is critical for nerve function.

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Helps convert food into energy. Needed for healthy skin, hair, muscles, and brain and is critical for nerve function.

DID YOU KNOW?
Most nutritious foods have some thiamin.

RIBOFLAVIN

vitamin B2

BENEFITS
Helps convert food into energy. Needed for healthy skin, hair, blood, and brain

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, meats, green leafy vegetables, whole and enriched grains and cereals.

DID YOU KNOW?
Most Americans get enough of this nutrient.

NIACIN

vitamin B3, nicotinic acid

BENEFITS
Helps convert food into energy. Essential for healthy skin, blood cells, brain, and nervous system

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Meat, poultry, fish, fortified and whole grains, mushrooms, potatoes, peanut butter

DID YOU KNOW?
Niacin occurs naturally in food and can also be made by your body from the amino acid tryptophan, with the help of B6.

PANTOTHENIC ACID

vitamin B5

BENEFITS
Helps convert food into energy. Helps make lipids (fats), neurotransmitters, steroid hormones, and hemoglobin

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Wide variety of nutritious foods, including chicken, egg yolk, whole grains, broccoli, mushrooms, avocados, tomato products

DID YOU KNOW?
Deficiency causes burning feet and other neurologic symptoms.

PYRIDOXINE

vitamin B6, pyridoxal, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine

BENEFITS
Aids in lowering homocysteine levels and may reduce the risk of heart disease.  Helps convert tryptophan to niacin and serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays key roles in sleep, appetite, and moods. Helps make red blood cells Influences cognitive abilities and immune function

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Meat, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy products, potatoes, non-citrus fruits such as bananas and watermelons

DID YOU KNOW?
Many people don’t get enough of this nutrient.

COBALAMIN

vitamin B12

BENEFITS
Aids in lowering homocysteine levels and may lower the risk of heart disease. Assists in making new cells and breaking down some fatty acids and amino acids. Protects nerve cells and encourages their normal growth Helps make red blood cells and DNA

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, fortified cereals, fortified soymilk

DID YOU KNOW?
Some people, particularly older adults, are deficient in vitamin B12 because they have trouble absorbing this vitamin from food. Those on a vegan or vegetarian diet often don’t get enough B12 as it’s mostly found in animal products. They may need to take supplements. A lack of vitamin B12 can cause memory loss, dementia, and numbness in the arms and legs.

BIOTIN

BENEFITS
Helps convert food into energy and synthesize glucose. Helps make and break down some fatty acids. Needed for healthy bones and hair

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Many foods, including whole grains, organ meats, egg yolks, soybeans, and fish

DID YOU KNOW?
Some is made by bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. However, it’s not clear how much of this the body absorbs.

IRON

BENEFITS
Helps hemoglobin in red blood cells and myoglobin in muscle cells ferry oxygen throughout the body. Needed for chemical reactions in the body and for making amino acids, collagen, neurotransmitters, and hormones

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Red meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, green vegetables, fortified bread and grain products

DID YOU KNOW?
Many women of childbearing age don’t get enough iron. Women who do not menstruate probably need the same amount of iron as men. Because iron is harder to absorb from plants, experts suggest vegetarians get twice the recommended amount (assuming the source is food).

IODINE

BENEFITS
Part of thyroid hormone, which helps set body temperature and influences nerve and muscle function, reproduction, and growth. Prevents goiter and a congenital thyroid disorder

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Iodized salt, processed foods, seafood

DID YOU KNOW?
To prevent iodine deficiencies, some countries add iodine to salt, bread, or drinking water.

COPPER

BENEFITS
Plays an important role in iron metabolism and immune system. Helps make red blood cells

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Liver, shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, beans, prunes, cocoa, black pepper

DID YOU KNOW?
More than half of the copper in foods is absorbed.

CHROMIUM

BENEFITS
Enhances the activity of insulin, helps maintain normal blood glucose levels, and is needed to free energy from glucose

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, potatoes, some cereals, nuts, cheese

DID YOU KNOW?
Unrefined foods such as brewer’s yeast, nuts, and cheeses are the best sources of chromium, but brewer’s yeast can sometimes cause bloating and nausea, so you may choose to get chromium from other food sources.

CHLORIDE

BENEFITS
Balances fluids in the body. A component of stomach acid, essential to digestion

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Salt (sodium chloride), soy sauce, processed foods

DID YOU KNOW?
New recommendations (DRIs) for chloride are under development by the Institute of Medicine.

CALCIUM

BENEFITS
Builds and protects bones and teeth. Helps with muscle contractions and relaxation, blood clotting, and nerve impulse transmission. Plays a role in hormone secretion and enzyme activation. Helps maintain healthy blood pressure

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Yogurt, cheese, milk, tofu, sardines, salmon, fortified juices, leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale (but not spinach or Swiss chard, which have binders that lessen absorption)

DID YOU KNOW?
Adults absorb roughly 30% of calcium ingested, but this can vary depending on the source. Diets very high in calcium may increase the risk of prostate cancer.

PHYLLOQUINONE, MENADIONE

vitamin K

BENEFITS
Activates proteins and calcium essential to blood clotting. May help prevent hip fractures

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Cabbage, liver, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, sprouts, kale, collards, and other green vegetables

DID YOU KNOW?
Intestinal bacteria make a form of vitamin K that accounts for half your requirements. If you take an anticoagulant, keep your vitamin K intake consistent.

FOLIC ACID

vitamin B9, folate, folacin

BENEFITS
Vital for new cell creation. Helps prevent brain and spine birth defects when taken early in pregnancy; should be taken regularly by all women of child-bearing age since women may not know they are pregnant in the first weeks of pregnancy. Can lower levels of homocysteine and may reduce heart disease risk May reduce risk for colon cancer. Offsets breast cancer risk among women who consume alcohol

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Fortified grains and cereals, asparagus, okra, spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, legumes like black-eyed peas and chickpeas, orange juice, tomato juice

DID YOU KNOW?
Many people don’t get enough of this nutrient. Occasionally, folic acid masks a B12 deficiency, which can lead to severe neurological complications. That’s not a reason to avoid folic acid; just be sure to get enough B12.

ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL

vitamin E

BENEFITS
Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells. Protects vitamin A and certain lipids from damage. Diets rich in vitamin E may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Wide variety of foods, including vegetable oils, salad dressings and margarines made with vegetable oils, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts

DID YOU KNOW?
Vitamin E does not prevent wrinkles or slow other aging processes.

CALCIFEROL

vitamin D

BENEFITS
Helps maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, which strengthen bones. Helps form teeth and bones. Supplements can reduce the number of non-spinal fractures

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Fortified milk or margarine, fortified cereals, fatty fish

DID YOU KNOW?
Many people don’t get enough of this nutrient. While the body uses sunlight to make vitamin D, it cannot make enough if you live in northern climates or don’t spend much time in the sun.

CHOLINE

BENEFITS
Helps make and release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which aids in many nerve and brain activities. Plays a role in metabolizing and transporting fats. Helps make and release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which aids in many nerve and brain activities. Plays a role in metabolizing and transporting fats

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Many foods, especially milk, eggs, liver, salmon, and peanuts

DID YOU KNOW?
Normally the body makes small amounts of choline. But experts don’t know whether this amount is enough at certain ages.

ASCORBIC ACID

vitamin C

BENEFITS
Foods rich in vitamin C may lower the risk for some cancers, including those of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and breast. Long-term use of supplemental vitamin C may protect against cataracts. Helps make collagen, a connective tissue that knits together wounds and supports blood vessel walls. Helps make the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells. Bolsters the immune system

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Fruits and fruit juices (especially citrus), potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts

DID YOU KNOW?
Evidence that vitamin C helps reduce colds has not been convincing.

MAGNESIUM

BENEFITS
Needed for many chemical reactions in the body Works with calcium in muscle contraction, blood clotting, and regulation of blood pressure. Helps build bones and teeth

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, legumes, cashews, sunflower seeds and other seeds, halibut, whole-wheat bread, milk

DID YOU KNOW?
The majority of magnesium in the body is found in bones. If your blood levels are low, your body may tap into these reserves to correct the problem.

MANGANESE

BENEFITS
Helps form bones. Helps metabolize amino acids, cholesterol, and carbohydrates

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Fish, nuts, legumes, whole grains, tea

DID YOU KNOW?
If you take supplements or have manganese in your drinking water, be careful not to exceed the upper limit. Those with liver damage or whose diets supply abundant manganese should be especially vigilant.

MOLYBDENUM

BENEFITS
Part of several enzymes, one of which helps ward off a form of severe neurological damage in infants that can lead to early death

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Legumes, nuts, grain products, milk

DID YOU KNOW?
Molybdenum deficiencies are rare.

ZINC

BENEFITS
Helps form many enzymes and proteins and create new cells. Frees vitamin A from storage in the liver. Needed for immune system, taste, smell, and wound healing. When taken with certain antioxidants, zinc may delay the progression of age-related macular degeneration

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Red meat, poultry, oysters and some other seafood, fortified cereals, beans, nuts

DID YOU KNOW?
Because vegetarians absorb less zinc, experts suggest that they get twice the recommended requirement of zinc from plant foods.

SULFUR

BENEFITS
Helps form bridges that shape and stabilize some protein structures. Needed for healthy hair, skin, and nails

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Protein-rich foods, such as meats, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes

DID YOU KNOW?
Sulfur is a component of thiamin and certain amino acids. There is no recommended amount for sulfur. Deficiencies occur only with a severe lack of protein.

SODIUM

BENEFITS
Balances fluids in the body. Helps send nerve impulses. Needed for muscle contractions. Impacts blood pressure; even modest reductions in salt consumption can lower blood pressure

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Salt, soy sauce, processed foods, vegetables

DID YOU KNOW?
While experts recommend that people limit sodium intake to 2,300 mg, most Americans consume 4,000–6,000 mg a day.

SELENIUM

BENEFITS
Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells. Helps regulate thyroid hormone activity. Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells. Helps regulate thyroid hormone activity

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Organ meats, seafood, walnuts, sometimes plants (depends on soil content), grain products

DID YOU KNOW?
Researchers are investigating whether selenium may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, but with mixed results.

POTASSIUM

BENEFITS
Balances fluids in the body. Helps maintain steady heartbeat and send nerve impulses. Needed for muscle contractions. A diet rich in potassium seems to lower blood pressure. Getting enough potassium from your diet may benefit bones

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes

DID YOU KNOW?
Food sources do not cause toxicity, but high-dose supplements might.

PHOSPHORUS

BENEFITS
Helps build and protect bones and teeth. Part of DNA and RNA. Helps convert food into energy. Part of phospholipids, which carry lipids in blood and help shuttle nutrients into and out of cells

GOOD FOOD SOURCES
Wide variety of foods, including milk and dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, liver, green peas, broccoli, potatoes, almonds

DID YOU KNOW?
Certain drugs bind with phosphorus, making it unavailable and causing bone loss, weakness, and pain.

As you can see from this table, vitamins are extremely important to the body and if your Doctor is not measuring them, you need to ask them to perform a nutritional deficiency blood test or come see us at LifeWorks Wellness Center.

Dr. David Minkoff is co-founder and Medical Director of LifeWorks Wellness Center, one of the foremost integrative health clinics in the US.

References

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/micronutrient-malnutrition/micronutrients/index.html
  2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/listing_of_vitamins

This article has been reviewed and fact checked by Dr. David Minkoff, M.D. who is a board-certified doctor, practicing medicine since 1974.

This article has been reviewed and fact checked by dr. David minkoff, m. D. Who is a board-certified doctor, practicing medicine since 1974.

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