These last several weeks I've struggled with what to write about. When the whole world is in a state of chaos, it can be hard to find the words to discuss anything at all.

With many having more time to focus internally, now's as good of a time as ever to focus on the awareness of self in a variety of ways. Whether it's mindset work, discipline, self-care, health, fitness; awareness is where change and new possibility can find a beginning.

When I work with my clients, we do a number of things that work to increase self-awareness and examine personal habits.

1. First we take a look at supplement patterns and analyze why each supplement is there and if any possibly pose more harm than good via either nutrient excess or liver injury. The goal is to be as intentional as possible when it comes to supplements.
2. Next we look at what your body says it needs with testing to determine nutrient deficiency and nutrient excess. We do this with data from Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (available internationally) and select nutrient blood labs (available in the US only, with the exception of those in NY, NJ and RI). Learn more about these services here.
3. Additionally, if you are taking Rx medications, we also discuss potential nutrient deficiencies and the risks of liver injury you must be aware of while taking those drugs.
4. Finally we work through a food-based (or food-based supplement) approach to help the body find nutrient homeostasis in a gentle, sustainable way.

Pretty simple and logical, right?

And luckily, there is one of these things you can easily do at home right now!

There is a wonderful tool called Mytavin that can calculate probable nutrient deficiencies based on your own pharmaceutical cocktail. You can also try to get your hands on Drug Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook, but you'll want to find one as up to date as possible to accommodate for newer drugs on the market that you may be taking.

To save you a little time and research on your own, I've included some research-backed data on the top pharmaceutical drugs. However, please keep in mind, it is generally not very easy to identify or link nutrient deficiency to current symptoms because they typically develop slowly over course of taking a drug.

Therefore, it can be hard to know whether your symptoms are caused by life's stressors, diet, getting older, or a medication you have been taking for a long period of time.

Ross Pelton, a pharmacist, nutritionist, author and health educator summarizes this phenomenon well, and it may be the reason you don't hear about drug-induced nutrient depletion much:

"Consider the following scenario: a woman who has been taking oral contraceptives for eight years, seemingly without any problems. However, over the past six months, she has been increasingly complaining to her husband that she is tired all the time. She has trouble getting up in the morning, or by mid-afternoon, she feels so exhausted, she can hardly function. Oral contraceptives deplete folic acid, vitamin B12, coenzyme Q10, and magnesium. Each of these nutrients is critically important for energy production. A depletion of any one of these nutrients can cause tiredness, weakness, lethargy and/or anemia over time. However, this woman probably doesn’t realize that the medication she has been taking for years has been causing nutrient depletions that are now causing health problems."

Probable Nutrient Depletion by Drug

Birth Control Pills

Commonly prescribed for: preventing pregnancy

Potential nutrient deficiencies for Mircette: B12, B6, magnesium, folate, roboflavin (B2), zinc, tyrosine, vitamin C (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies for Natazia: B6, magnesium, C0Q10, vitamin C, folate (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies Nordette: B12, B6, magnesium, folate, B2, zinc, tyrosine, vitamin C (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies Lo Ovral: B12, B6, magnesium, folate, B2, zinc, tyrosine, vitamin C (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies Ortho-Novum: B12, B6, magnesium, folate, B2, zinc, tyrosine, vitamin C (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies Ortho Tri-Cyclen: B12, B6, magnesium, folate, B2, zinc, tyrosine, vitamin C (source)

Anti-Depressants

Commonly prescribed for: alleviating depressive symptoms, anxiety

Potential nutrient deficiencies for Citalopram (Celexa): melatonin, folate, sodium (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies for Escitalopram (Lexapro): melatonin, folate, sodium (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies for Fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax): melatonin, folate, sodium (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies for Sertraline (Zoloft): melatonin, folate, sodium (source)

Potential nutrient deficiencies for Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva): melatonin, folate, sodium (source)

Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen)

Commonly prescribed for: pain

Potential nutrient deficiencies: glutathione (source)

Simvastatin (Generic for Zocor)

Commonly prescribed for: high cholesterol

Potential nutrient deficiencies: zinc, selenium, omega-3, C0Q10 (source)

Lisinopril (Generic for Prinivil or Zestril)

Commonly prescribed for: high blood pressure

Potential nutrient deficiencies: zinc, B12, B6, phosphorus, magnesium, B1, potassium, folate, C0Q10, sodium (source)

Levothyroxine (generic for Synthroid)

Commonly prescribed for: hypothyroidism

Potential nutrient deficiencies: iron (source)

Azithromycin (generic for Zithromax, Z-PAK)

Commonly prescribed as an antibiotic.

Potential nutrient deficiencies: B12, B6, B7, vitamin K, potassium, B3, probiotics, B1, B2 (source)

Metformin (generic for Glucophage)

Commonly prescribed to treat high blood sugar levels

Potential nutrient deficiencies: B12, folate (source)

Lipitor (atorvastatin)

Commonly prescribed to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride levels

Potential nutrient deficiencies: zinc, selenium, omega-3, C0Q10 (source)

Amlodipine (generic for Norvasc)

Commonly prescribed for: high blood pressure and chest pain

Potential nutrient deficiencies: zinc, selenium, omega-3, C0Q10 (source)

Amoxicillin

Commonly prescribed as an antibiotic.

Potential nutrient deficiencies: B12, B6, B7, Vitamin K, B1, potassium, B3, probiotics (source)

Hydrochlorothiazide

Commonly prescribed for: high blood pressure

Potential nutrient deficiencies: B12, B6, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, thiamine (b1), potassium, folate, C0Q10, sodium (source)

Symptoms of Nutrient Depletion

And just a little reminder of what these nutrient depletion symptoms may look like:

• B1 — fatigue, memory loss, anorexia, constipation, depression, poor coordination, confusion, shortness of breath, anxiety, difficultly digesting carbohydrates [4]
• B2 — cracks and sores in the corner of the mouth/lips, red sore tongue, increased light sensitivity, sluggishness, burning/itching of the eyes [4]
• B3 — pellagra (dermatitis, dementia, diarrhea), cracked/scaly dermatitis, muscular weakness, confusion, memory loss, depression, loss of appetite, indigestion, diarrhea, vomiting [4]
• B6 — confusion, depression, convulsions, water retention in pregnancy, cracks around mouth, lips, eyes, poor glucose tolerance, impaired nerve function, numbness and cramps in the arms/legs, visual disturbances [4]
• B7 — dermatitis, scaling/hardness of the skin, anorexia, nausea, loss of hair, muscular atrophy, low energy [4]
• B9 — megalobastic anemia, neural tube defects in pregnancy, digestive disturbances, restless legs, depressed reflexes, insomnia, weakness [4]
• B12 — swollen red tongue, B12 deficiency anemia, peripheral neuropathy, depression [4]
• Magnesium — asthma, blood clots, bowel diseases, cystitis, depression, detoxification, diabetes, fatigue, heart disease, hypertension, hypoglycemia, insomnia, kidney disease, liver disease, migraines, muscle, nerve problems, osteoporosis, tooth decay, Raynaud’s syndrome, anxiety, panic attacks
• Selenium — cardiomyopathy and heart failure (Keshan disease), striated muscle degeneration, deforming arthritis (Kashin-Bek disease) [9]
• Zinc — stretch marks, decreased immune response, increased susceptibility to viral infections, diabetes, loss of appetite, hair loss, skin problems (acne, eczema, etc.), white spots on the nails, slow wound healing, anorexia nervosa
• Potassium — acne, weakness, tiredness, or cramping in arm or leg muscles, numbness and/or tingling, constipation, excess water consumption, depression, nausea or vomiting, edema, fatigue, insomnia, nervousness, mental impairment, abdominal cramping and/or bloating, fainting due to low blood pressure, heart palpitations (irregular heart beat)
• Phosphorus — loss of appetite, anemia, muscle weakness, bone pain, rickets, osteomalacia, increased susceptibility to infection, numbness and tingling of the extremities, difficulty walking, and respiratory failure [8]
• Sodium — nausea and vomiting, headache, confusion, low energy, drowsiness and fatigue, restlessness, irritability, muscle weakness, spasms/cramps, seizures, coma [7]
• Tyrosine — depression, low blood pressure, low body temperature, hypothyroid, apathy, edema, fatigue, mood disorders, weakness, joint pain, weight gain, PMS [1, 10]
• Vitamin C — dry hair, slow wound healing, bruise easily, dry/rough skin, gingivitis and bleeding gums, poor immune function, frequent nosebleeds, and scurvy (extreme deficiency).
• Omega-3 — rough/scaly skin, dermatitis, fatigue, memory loss, heart disease, inflammation, mood swings, depression, poor circulation [1]
• C0Q10 — seizures, intellectual disability, poor muscle tone, involuntary muscle contractions, progressive muscle stiffness , abnormal eye movements, vision loss, hearing loss [5]
• Probiotics —  food allergies, digestive issues, bad breath, frequent UTIs, depression [6]
• Vitamin K — easy bleeding, hemorrhage, inappropriate bruising, osteoporosis [4]
• Glutathione — low energy, hair loss, poor sleep, brain fog, weak immunity, aches and pains, weakened liver detoxification
• Melatonin — insomnia, fatigue, ADHD, irritable bowels, breast cancer risk [1]

The point of this post is not to encourage you to run out and supplement every potential nutrient deficiency that may be caused by a drug you are taking (I would strongly discourage that). The point of this post is to help you see and understand your body in a more holistic way and address any issues that may simply be caused by something you are taking every day that may unconsciously have a big impact on how you feel.

Liver Injury

It's important to add that most Rx drugs also carry a risk of liver injury that can impair your body's detoxification abilities short or long-term.

One of the best places to find out how certain drugs can impact your liver is the Liver Tox Database. You can use it to search for any drug and gauge the liver injury risk factor.

According to a 2008 study, Drug Induced Liver Injury (DILI) "was caused by a single prescription medication in 73% of the cases, by dietary supplements in 9%, and by multiple agents in 18%. More than 100 different agents were associated with DILI; antimicrobials (45.5%) and central nervous system agents (15%) were the most common. Causality was considered to be definite in 32%, highly likely in 41%, probable in 14%, possible in 10%, and unlikely in 3%. Acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was the final diagnosis in 4 of 9 unlikely cases. Six months after enrollment, 14% of patients had persistent laboratory abnormalities and 8% had died; the cause of death was liver related in 44%." [12]

The study concluded that "DILI is caused by a wide array of medications, herbal supplements, and dietary supplements. Antibiotics are the single largest class of agents that cause DILI." [12]

The more you know about what you're taking, the more power you have to take better care of your health.

Ready to find out what your body needs?

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a nutrition screening tool that provides a unique snapshot into your body, showing your stress, energy profile as well as insight into 35 different minerals in your body. HTMA testing includes: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, phosphorus, iron, manganese, chromium, selenium, cobalt, germanium, molybdenum, sulfur, uranium, arsenic, beryllium, mercury, cadmium, lead, aluminum, barium, bismuth, rubidium, lithium, nickel, platinum, thallium, vanadium, strontium, tin, titanium, tungsten, and zirconium. It can also detect imbalances sooner than blood tests can and show you early trends toward health problems.

HTMA acts as a simple nutrition checkup so you can find out what your body needs now while also preventing deficiencies before they start. I often pair HTMA with a few simple nutrient blood labs to get important nutrient data on you no-one else is typically looking at. Find out more about these services here.

I hope this post helps give you more awareness in your own personal health realm or perhaps you can pass it on to someone you know who could benefit. ♥

PIN IT:

References:

1. https://mytavin.com/
2. https://www.medicinenet.com/top_drugs_prescribed_in_the_us/views.htm
3. https://www.townsendletter.com/article/436-drug-induced-nutrient-depletions-pelton/
4. Nutritional Therapy Association
5. https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/primary-coenzyme-q10-deficiency
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16827601
7. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711
8. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/phosphorus
9. https://arupconsult.com/content/trace-minerals
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2736402
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547852/
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18955056/