What is a secondary deficiency in nutrition?
                                
                                
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                                    4 min read                                
                            
                                While many people associate nutrient deficiencies with a poor diet, a secondary deficiency in nutrition is often the result of an underlying medical condition, regardless of food intake. These deficiencies arise when a health problem, such as a chronic illness or the use of certain medications, interferes with the body's ability to properly absorb, metabolize, or use nutrients from food.