Nutritional deficiencies in women: a frequent and often invisible problem

Many women experience persistent fatigue, dizziness, hair loss, and irritability daily without understanding the cause. Often, these symptoms are not merely signs of tiredness but indicate a nutritional deficiency. Dietitian Yasmine Zerbo explains that these deficiencies are frequently caused by poor dietary habits, such as an unvaried diet, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, excessive sugar intake, skipped or irregular meals, and an unbalanced diet. This leads to the body functioning slowly and gradually becoming exhausted. Common deficiencies in women include Vitamin A, essential for vision, skin, and immunity; Vitamin C, which boosts immune defenses; Vitamin B12, vital for blood formation and energy; magnesium, crucial for stress and sleep; and Vitamin D, contributing to bone health and immunity. To correct these, women should adopt a varied and balanced diet, including complete meals with a base like tô, rice, or yam, protein like fish, eggs, or legumes, and vegetables. Consuming at least one fruit daily, incorporating omega-3 rich fish two to three times a week, and maintaining regular meals are also recommended. Limiting sugary drinks and excessive sugar is advised. Zerbo emphasizes that for severe symptoms like intense fatigue, frequent dizziness, and significant hair loss, medical consultation is necessary, as diet alone may not always be sufficient to correct deficits.