Sault Naturopath

Thiamin, vitamin B1, is an essential nutrient. Our bodies need thiamin to digest carbohydrates, to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, and to produce hydrochloric acid in our stomachs that is needed to digest food. Deficiencies are linked to PMS, anxiety, and peripheral nerve disease. Prolonged deficiency can lead to labored breathing and cardiac damage. Although important, thiamin deficiency unfortunately is often under diagnosed.

Early symptoms of deficiency may include:

• easy fatigue
• loss of appetite
• irritability and emotional instability
• confusion, loss of memory

Later signs of deficiency may include:  Read more...

• burning feet (especially at night)

So far we have examined nutrient depletions caused by antibiotics and antacids. Today let’s continue this series by examining nutrient depletions caused by oral contraceptives.

The following are a list of nutrients known to be depleted by oral contraceptives:

DHEA (a hormone)  Ortho Novum® 1/35 and Ovcon® 35 decreased serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS).  Estrogen-containing oral contraceptives have also resulted in decreased DHEAS.

Folate Long-term use of oral contraceptives can result in folic acid deficiency, including megaloblastic anemia.

Magnesium Women using oral contraceptives have been found to have lower serum magnesium levels.  Read more...

We’ve explored the possible nutrient depletions associated with antibiotics. Let’s continue this look into nutrient depletions by moving on to another set of very common drugs: gastric acid reducers and anti-ulcer medications.

The following nutrients are depleted by gastric acid reducers and/or anti-ulcer drugs:

Beta-carotene Proton pump inhibitors, such as esomeprazole (Nexium®), lansoprazole (Prevacid®), omeprazole (Prilosec®, Losec®), rabeprazole (Aciphex®), and pantoprazole (Protonix®, Pantoloc®), may cause a loss of stomach acid and may reduce absorption of a single dose of beta-carotene.  Read more...