In a system engineered to profit off illness, it's no surprise that nutrient deficiencies (one of the most correctable as well as most common causes of chronic symptoms) are deliberately ignored and swept under the rug. Look around-- Everyone has anxiety, insomnia, poor immunity, brain fog, depression, and migraines these days, and it's only becoming more common. The signs are everywhere, and yet the American food industry has been desperately doing everything it possibly can to surpress accurate information from reaching the public, and making sure their ability to legally continue poisoning us in literally every capacity they can remains completely untouchable by lobbying the shit out of lawmakers and controlling the funding for health and medical research.
What follows is a breakdown of the most critical nutrients your body may be begging for, and what happens when you don't get enough. This isn't medical advice. This is nutritional rebellion. Use this chart as a reference and troubleshooting guide: If your body is acting out, it might just be starving for a building block that it desperately needs yet never actually receives.
A supplement can't fix a toxic diet, but a toxic diet certain CAN ruin even the best protocol. Start by giving your cells what they need to function like they are actually designed to.
| Nutrient | Symptoms of Deficiency |
|---|---|
| Magnesium | Muscle cramps, insomnia, twitching, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, irregular heartbeat |
| Potassium | Constipation, fatigue, high blood pressure, irritability, muscle weakness |
| Zinc | Acne, hair loss, immune issues, loss of taste or smell, depression, delayed healing |
| Selenium | Brain fog, weak immunity, thyroid dysfunction, infertility, brittle hair and nails |
| Copper | Fatigue, pale skin, nerve dysfunction, anemia, bone weakness, immune suppression |
| B12 | Brain fog, memory issues, mood swings, tingling extremities, fatigue, shortness of breath |
| Iodine | Weight gain, dry skin, goiter, cold sensitivity, sluggishness, menstrual irregularities |
| Iron | Pale skin, dizziness, fatigue, weak nails, poor stamina, shortness of breath |
| Vitamin D | Bone pain, low immunity, hair loss, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, depression |
| Vitamin C | Bleeding gums, poor wound healing, fatigue, frequent colds, easy bruising |
| Vitamin A | Night blindness, dry skin, poor immune function, acne, rough skin patches |
| Vitamin E | Vision problems, poor coordination, weak muscles, low sex hormones |
| B6 | Confusion, depression, irritability, sore tongue, fatigue, cracked lips |
| Folate | Fatigue, irritability, poor concentration, anemia, neural tube issues (in pregnancy) |
| B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | Stress intolerance, acne, poor wound healing, fatigue, burning feet syndrome |
| Chromium | Sugar cravings, mood swings, blood sugar instability, weight gain, insulin resistance |
| Molybdenum | Sensitivity to wine or sulfites, fatigue, headaches, histamine flares |
| Boron | Poor bone density, hormone imbalances, mental fog, low testosterone/estrogen |
| Choline | Fatty liver, brain fog, memory problems, muscle tremors |
| Silica | Weak nails, thinning hair, joint pain, brittle bones, saggy skin |
| Sulfur (MSM) | Joint stiffness, inflammation, slow detox, skin rashes, low glutathione |
The L-nutrients are a class of essential amino acids and vitamins that play pivotal roles in the body's physiological processes, particularly at the cellular level. These nutrients are involved in everything from neurotransmitter production and hormone regulation to energy metabolism and immune function. The prefix "L" refers to their molecular structure. (More specifically, the way they orient themselves in space—crucial for how they interact with enzymes and cellular receptors.)
Amino acids like L-Arginine, L-Tyrosine, L-Citrulline, and L-Glutamine are critical for your body's protein synthesis, muscle recovery, and the widening of blood vessels (vasodilation). This helps improve blood flow and ensures oxygen and nutrients reach the tissues that need them. For example, L-Arginine converts into nitric oxide, which is a molecule that reduces inflammation, helps the inner lining of blood vessels to relax, and increases circulation throughout the body.
L-Tryptophan is a building block for serotonin, a neurotransmitter essential for mood regulation and sleep cycles. When we are low on L-Tryptophan, it can directly affect mood stability, leading to anxiety, insomnia, and depression. (In other words, try increasing your L-Tryptophan levels whether through diet or supplements before turning to synthetic pharmaceuticals. Or if you're a person suffering from "treatment resistant" depression/anxiety, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE start taking L-Tryptophan. If your levels are low, you're extremely likely to feel anxious, depressed with brain fog, and/or wired at night but exhausted during the day.
L-Lysine, on the other hand, is vital for muscle growth, calcium absorption, and maintaining immune function. A deficiency in L-Lysine can make you more prone to viral infections (like cold sores) and can hinder your body's ability to absorb vital nutrients.
L-Theanine (one of the greatest benefits of drinking green tea) has a stabilizing effect on the nervous system. It works by increasing GABA (a neurotransmitter) and dopamine levels. This helps with relaxation, general mood regulation, focus, and general stress relief. (And it does all this without the horrible, fucked up crash that comes with drinking coffee or some other caffeined beverage!) Seriously-- Try drink a cup or two every single day for a couple weeks. I promise you'll be feeling a noticeable difference.
| L-Nutrient | Symptoms of Deficiency |
|---|---|
| L-Carnitine | Low energy, poor fat metabolism, brain fog, exercise intolerance, infertility (men) |
| L-Theanine | Anxiety, poor focus, overstimulation, sleep disruption, tension |
| L-Lysine | Cold sores, poor muscle mass, fatigue, poor calcium absorption |
| L-Tyrosine | Low dopamine, poor mood, thyroid issues, stress intolerance, depression |
| L-Tryptophan | Insomnia, anxiety, low serotonin, mood disorders, sugar cravings |
| L-Arginine | Poor circulation, erectile dysfunction, slow healing, low nitric oxide levels |
| L-Glutamine | Gut issues, sugar cravings, low immunity, muscle wasting, leaky gut |
| L-Citrulline | Poor endurance, erectile dysfunction, vascular stiffness, low nitric oxide |
| L-Cysteine | Low glutathione, liver stress, weak hair and nails, slow detox |