Vitamin Deficiencys - Vitamins & Supplements Message Board

Nicholen · 01-07-2001, 06:58 PM

Hi. This is my 1st time posting on this message board and I was wondering if someone could help me.

I'm 17 years old and I have sort of got my self into an eating disorder, sort of anorexic. Anyway, I'm really trying to work myself out of it and I'm doing much better. I eat at least 2 times a day now, but I don't usually take any vitamins. I eat mostly things like pizza and mac n' cheese. I hardly eat any meat at all. I'm a very picky eater anyway. At 1st I had more energy once I started eating again. But I am still a little weak. But now every day just gets harder cause I am so exhausted. It's not the same as the 'I haven't eaten all day so I'm exhausted' feeling. And it's not really a 'tired I want to sleep' feeling. It's just a feeling that I want to rest all the time. I get up in the morning on a weekend after sleeping late and after 10 minutes of being up I feel like I've just run 25 miles! I already want to lay down and rest. I do take dance lessons, and once I get going I'm usually ok except I run out of breath quicker than I used to. I think that's because I've slowed my motabolism down.

It's iron that makes you tired, right? Do you think i have an iron deficiency? I also think i have a magnesium defeciency because I read that you twitch alot and I've had that problem for 3 years. I want to donate blood cause there's a blood drive next week. i'll feel so guilty if I do not at least TRY! I watch ER and I know how badly some people need the blood. But if I don't have enough iron they would tell me right?

I do want to go get a blood test and see if everything is all right. My parents just think I'm making things up so they really don't want to take me. I'm afraid that if I make too big of a deal about how I'm feeling, they'll make me quit dance and I could not tolerate that! If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

Oh, and just to give you an idea of just how tired I am right now. I have a headache and it's a stuggle to keep my eyes open even though I'm not 'sleepy' tired. I just feel like resting. I've never had a problem like this before, so it can't be chronic fatigue. I've always just assumed it was my now slowed down motabolism that I'm trying to raise again. But now my tiredness is just getting ridiculous!

Copper · 01-08-2001, 12:35 PM

Hi Nicholen,
Sorry to hear you're having such a tuff time of it. You have taken on an huge task, but it certainly sounds like you are up to the challenge. GOOD GOING!

Have you been anorexic for awhile (years)? How is your weight (in proportion to your height) right now?

I sure don't want to diagnose here, but your lack of energy COULD stem from the fact that your body simply does not have enough fuel (immediate AND reserve) to to propel you through your day.

Remember, food is the fuel that runs your body, kind of like gas in a car. Also like a car, if you are giving it inferior fuel (which pizza and mac'n'cheese ARE), it is going to ping, chug and sputter.

Energy foods are, generally, the whole plant foods, you know those vegetables and fruits so many of your age detest. Also, GOOD quality proteins.

If you continue to refuse food, or ALLOW yourself to remain a picky eater, your situation is not likely to change. Supplements are ok for some, but they CANNOT replace the benefit of eaing correctly, no matter how many you take.

You sound like a pretty bright young adult. Educate yourself, home ec (cooking class?) teachers SHOULD be able to offer you some pretty sound advice on how to turn this around.

Good luck, and hang in there, you're doing great so far!

------------------
Copper
Let Miracles Replace all Grievances

Copper · 01-08-2001, 12:42 PM

Oh yeah, about the blood drive. That's an honorable effort to make! Good for you. Do not be disappointed if you are turned down as a donor, though. If your weight is below a certain level, you will not be allowed to participate.

It is, sometimes, a LACK of iron that causes the fatigue. But, that is NOT a definite! As I said, lack of adequate fuel MAY be the cause. Besides, Iron and other 'metal' minerals CAN be overdosed, and is not something to play around with.

Do your parents know about the anorexia? Perhaps if you told them that you haven't been eating appropriately, and you would like to be certain your vit/mineral levels are adequate now that you are trying to improve, they'd allow the blood test?
Take care,

------------------
Copper
Let Miracles Replace all Grievances

Nicholen · 01-08-2001, 05:22 PM

Hey Copper!

Thanks for replying to my message. You have to be over 110 lbs to donate blood. I am about 122 and I'm 5' 3.5". They say a person my height should not be under 115 lbs. so I am in normal weight. I'm also not exactly a sick stick anorexic. I just have an unhealthy view of food and I'm very close to becoming an anorexic so I'm trying to fix this mess. I am actually eating the same types of foods I was eating before I started this, except now I eat less meat. I think I am lacking some vitamins. I do eat some fruit and vegetables. I also get plenty of milk and dairy except I have to drink Lactaid Milk and take Lactaid Pills cause I'm lactose intolerant. I do eat alot of grains cause I like cereal and bread, but I'm not sure if it's enough because they have such huge serving sizes on the pyramid. I don't know that much about nutrition. I am not really into cooking.

This 'skipping meals' thing has been going on for a while, but on and off. Whenever I get really stressed about something it happens. The one I am recovering from was the worst it's ever been. My dad had lost his job and so I was really worried. He has a job now so that's why I'm feeling better. I mean I was so worried I couldn't even concentrate in school! It's hard to concentrate anyway but I couldn't stop being worried so the starving just gave me something else to think about and it would help keep me from being worried. Do not worry about me cause I'm talking to my conselor and getting help now. I am also doing a lot better.

My parents sort of knew cause she talked to them (w/ my permission!)but they still didn't know how bad. They don't really take me seriously. The also don't want to take me in for a blood test. They think it's a waste of time/ money. They just say they'll get me some daily vitamins but i'm afraid of getting an overdose. What if i already eat too much Vitamin C and then i take those cause I need iron, but then i'm getting even more vitamin C? Could you die from those kind of overdoses?

When I give blood I think they test to see if you have enough Iron(I think it's iron) by dropping your blood in water. If it floats you cannot give blood cause you don't have enough iron. If it sinks you're all right. I guess I'll try to donate and see what happens. If my blood floats then i guess I should start taking vitamins!

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read and reply to my message!

Nicholen

mannaguy · 01-09-2001, 12:14 AM

The first thing I would recommend is gotothe Library and get the book YOUR BODY KNOWS BEST by Ann Louise Gittleman. Turn to the part about Metabolic Profiling. Do the test to find out which profile you are. If you are a profile #2 and you are eating what a profile #1 needs to eat, to use the analogy of Coppers, it will be like putting Deisal fuel in a Gasoline engine. Wrong Fuel! Car won't go. Also, vitamins are often made to one profile. These would be the ones you find in some store. Most are made from stuff the body doesn't really recognize as food either. Ex. the Calcium added to Vits. or as Calcium tablets is made from rocks, chalk, or plaster. Calcium is to come from food. Vitamins are to come from food. There is a vitamin program that is profiled AND is made in a Food Form, meaning that all the vits. and mins. are taken from plants so that the body recognizes them as food. End result, it is absorbed and YOU have more energy, look and feel alive.

Hope this helps.