A new review reveals how smarter supplement strategies and cutting-edge diagnostics could tackle hidden vitamin and mineral deficiencies worldwide—who needs them and what works? Review: Micronutrients — Assessment, Requirements, Deficiencies, and Interventions . Image Credit: Fida Olga / Shutterstock In a recent review article published in The New England Journal of Medicine , the author describes the current state of knowledge regarding the body’s requirements for various micronutrients and how deficiencies can be treated. The focus is on current issues and emerging research, particularly of interest to healthcare practitioners.
The author Lindsay H. Allen, Ph.D.
at the University of California at Davis, also notes that supplements should be used cautiously and targeted to at-risk groups, as routine supplementation for chronic disease prevention is not supported by current evidence, and that while micronutrient deficiencies are known to cause acute health problems, evidence for their role in chronic disease prevention through supplementation remains limited and sometimes inconclusive, though some studies suggest possible benefits in specific cases such as cancer mortality reduction with vitamin D. Micronutrients and their medical history Micronutrients are essential nutrients that humans need in small amounts. They include trace minerals and fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins.
They do not include sodium or calcium, which are macrominerals. Deficiencies in one or mo.