Understanding What Condition Increases the Risk of Vitamin Deficiencies?

October 8, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iodine, vitamin A, and iron deficiencies are among the most widespread nutritional issues globally, particularly impacting vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women. Understanding what condition increases the risk of vitamin deficiencies is crucial for identifying and addressing these underlying issues, which can range from dietary restrictions and gastrointestinal disorders to chronic illnesses and certain medications.

Quick Summary

This article explores the wide range of factors, including medical conditions, lifestyle choices, and specific medications, that increase the likelihood of developing vitamin deficiencies. It details how malabsorption syndromes, chronic diseases, and restrictive diets can disrupt nutrient uptake, leading to suboptimal health and potential complications.

Key Points

Gastrointestinal Malabsorption: Conditions like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis), and pancreatic insufficiency prevent proper nutrient absorption, leading to deficiencies.
Chronic Diseases: Liver and kidney diseases, autoimmune disorders like pernicious anemia, and obesity disrupt the body's ability to process and store vitamins effectively.
Medication Side Effects: Common medications such as acid-reducing drugs (PPIs), anticonvulsants, and diabetes treatments (Metformin) can deplete essential nutrients like vitamin B12 and vitamin D over time.
Lifestyle and Dietary Factors: Restrictive diets (veganism without supplementation), excessive alcohol use, and bariatric surgery are significant risk factors for vitamin deficiencies due to limited intake or altered digestion.
Aging and Increased Needs: Older adults are at a higher risk due to decreased appetite and changes in absorption, while periods like pregnancy increase nutrient requirements, potentially leading to deficiencies if not met.
Symptoms Can Be Subtle: Many vitamin deficiencies present with non-specific symptoms like fatigue, skin changes, or muscle weakness, making underlying conditions hard to spot without proper testing.
Regular Monitoring is Key: For those with identified risk factors, regular health check-ups and nutritional status monitoring are essential to detect and correct deficiencies before serious complications arise.

The Role of Malabsorption and Gastrointestinal Disorders

Malabsorption syndrome is a primary driver of vitamin deficiencies, characterized by the body's inability to properly absorb nutrients from the intestinal tract. The integrity of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is central to overall health and nutrient absorption, and any condition that compromises it can disrupt vitamin uptake.

Specific Gastrointestinal Conditions

Several digestive disorders are strongly linked to increased risk of deficiency:

Celiac Disease: An autoimmune disorder where gluten consumption damages the lining of the small intestine, reducing the surface area available for nutrient absorption. This can lead to malabsorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), as well as iron and B12.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients. Crohn's disease often affects the terminal ileum, the primary site for vitamin B12 and bile salt absorption, increasing deficiency risk.
Chronic Pancreatitis and Cystic Fibrosis: These conditions cause exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, where the pancreas fails to produce enough digestive enzymes. This leads to profound malabsorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO): An excess of bacteria in the small intestine can consume vitamins, like B12, or interfere with their absorption, leading to deficiencies.

Chronic Diseases That Impair Nutritional Status

Beyond GI issues, a number of chronic systemic diseases can increase the risk of vitamin deficiencies through various mechanisms, such as increased metabolic needs or altered nutrient processing.

Liver and Kidney Disease

Liver Disease: The liver plays a crucial role in activating vitamin D and processing other fat-soluble vitamins. Chronic liver conditions, like cirrhosis, can impair this process, leading to deficiencies.
Kidney Disease: The kidneys are essential for converting vitamin D into its active form. Renal failure significantly impairs this process, resulting in vitamin D deficiency.

Autoimmune and Other Disorders

Pernicious Anemia: An autoimmune condition where the body attacks the cells in the stomach that produce intrinsic factor, a protein necessary for absorbing vitamin B12.
Obesity: While often associated with overconsumption, obesity is a risk factor for vitamin deficiencies, particularly vitamin D. Fat cells sequester vitamin D, preventing its release into circulation, meaning obese individuals often require larger doses of supplements.

The Impact of Lifestyle, Diet, and Surgery

Several non-disease factors can also contribute significantly to vitamin deficiencies.

Restrictive Diets: Vegan or vegetarian diets, if not carefully managed, can be low in certain nutrients primarily found in animal products. Vitamin B12 is a classic example, which requires supplementation for those following a strictly plant-based diet.
Bariatric Surgery: Procedures like gastric bypass, which reduce the size of the stomach and bypass part of the small intestine, dramatically decrease the body's ability to absorb nutrients. Patients require lifelong vitamin and mineral supplementation.
Excessive Alcohol Use: Chronic alcohol consumption disrupts nutrient absorption and metabolism, leading to deficiencies in B vitamins, folate, and vitamin C.
Aging: The elderly are at increased risk due to decreased appetite, poor diet, and a reduced capacity for nutrient absorption, especially vitamin B12.

Medication-Induced Nutrient Depletion

Certain widely used medications can interfere with the body's ability to absorb or utilize vitamins and minerals, silently draining the body of essential nutrients.


Table: Common Medications and Associated Vitamin Depletions	Medication Class	Example(s)	Key Vitamin Depletions	Mechanism of Action
Acid-Reducing Drugs	Proton Pump Inhibitors (e.g., Omeprazole), H2 Blockers (e.g., Ranitidine)	Vitamin B12, Calcium, Iron	Reduce stomach acid, which is needed to release B12 from food and absorb other minerals.
Anticonvulsants	Phenytoin, Carbamazepine	Vitamin D, Biotin, B Vitamins	Can alter metabolism and increase the breakdown of certain vitamins in the liver.
Antibiotics	Broad-spectrum antibiotics	B Vitamins, Vitamin K	Can disrupt the gut microflora, which plays a role in producing certain B vitamins and vitamin K.
Diabetes Medications	Metformin	Vitamin B12	Can interfere with the absorption of vitamin B12 in the intestines over the long term.
Corticosteroids	Prednisone	Vitamin D, Calcium	Increase calcium excretion and inhibit vitamin D's function, weakening bones.
Cholesterol-Lowering	Statins	Coenzyme Q10	While not a vitamin, statins can deplete CoQ10, an antioxidant-like enzyme.

Conclusion

Vitamin deficiencies are not solely the result of poor dietary intake; a complex interplay of medical conditions, medications, lifestyle, and physiological changes can significantly increase risk. From gastrointestinal disorders that impair absorption to chronic diseases that alter nutrient processing and medications that deplete stores, a thorough understanding of these risk factors is essential for effective diagnosis and management. For at-risk individuals, proactive nutritional counseling, strategic supplementation, and regular health monitoring are critical steps toward preventing deficiencies and maintaining overall health.

Authoritative Outbound Link

For further information on nutritional diseases and their causes, refer to the World Health Organization's factsheets on malnutrition: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass, is a major cause of vitamin deficiencies. These procedures alter the digestive tract to reduce food intake and absorption, making it difficult for the body to get sufficient nutrients from food alone.

Yes, many medications can interfere with nutrient absorption or metabolism. For example, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for acid reflux can impair vitamin B12 absorption, and certain anticonvulsants can affect vitamin D levels.

Chronic alcohol abuse significantly increases the risk of vitamin deficiencies by interfering with the absorption of nutrients, particularly B vitamins and folate, and altering liver function.

Yes, older adults are more susceptible to vitamin deficiencies due to factors like decreased appetite, reduced nutrient absorption efficiency, and a higher prevalence of chronic diseases and medication use.

Chronic diseases like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis), liver disease, and kidney disease are strongly linked to vitamin deficiencies. These conditions impair absorption, alter metabolism, or increase nutrient loss.

Despite high calorie intake, obesity is associated with deficiencies in several vitamins, most notably vitamin D. Fat cells can sequester vitamin D, keeping it from being released into circulation and leading to lower blood levels.

Restrictive diets, such as vegan or vegetarian diets, can increase the risk of deficiencies in nutrients predominantly found in animal products, like vitamin B12. Unbalanced or fad diets lacking diversity also pose a risk.