Recent survey shows global micronutrient deficits

More than half the world's population affected by micronutrient deficiencies

A major study published in August 2024 in the journal The Lancet Global Health used databases provided by 31 countries to compare the theoretical needs and actual nutritional intakes of people in 185 countries around the world (1). The subjects were divided into different sub-groups according to their sex and age bracket (5-year intervals between 0 and 80 years of age, plus an ‘80 and over’ category). The researchers focused on 15 essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements that determine physical and mental fitness: vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folate), B12, C and E, as well as calcium, iron, iodine, magnesium, selenium and zinc.

The conclusions are worrying, to say the least. Based on strictly dietary intakes (excluding supplements and fortified products), researchers estimate that more than 5 billion people worldwide are not consuming enough of the following: iodine (68% of the population), vitamin E (66%) and calcium (66%). The same is true of iron, which 65% of the population consume in insufficient quantities, as well as vitamins B2 (55%), B9 (54%) and C (53%).

For the same country and age group, there are clear disparities between the sexes. More women than men have inadequate intakes of iodine, iron, selenium and vitamin B12. Conversely, men are more likely to have inadequate intakes of magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, B1, B3, B6 and C.

There are also trends specific to certain regions of the world, linked to cultural and economic factors. Calcium deficiencies, for example, are more marked in South and East Asian countries and in sub-Saharan Africa, where traditional diets include little or no dairy products. Despite easier access to quality foodstuffs, Western countries do not seem to be spared, as a result of the transition to a more processed and impoverished 'modern' diet. In Europe and Central Asia, in particular, the theoretical requirements for vitamin E are generally not being met by the over-15s.

Nutritional deficiencies around the world: what are the causes?

The increase in nutritional deficiencies around the world is directly linked to the quality of our diet. It is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve the recommended daily intake of micronutrients with meals that are unbalanced, insufficiently diversified, or composed mainly of nutritionally poor foods (ready meals, sweets, soft drinks, etc.).

If we hope to cover our theoretical needs, we should instead adopt a varied diet, giving priority to whole foods (fruit, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, pulses, poultry, fish, nuts, etc.) in order to benefit from the widest possible range of vitamins, minerals and trace elements (2).

However, achieving this ideal represents a major challenge, given the inequalities in access to food around the world. It is also challenged by our current lifestyles, which have profoundly altered our eating habits, including a lack of time to cook, chronic stress leading to less healthy choices, and the profusion of ultra-processed foods in supermarkets (3-4), etc.

How can we avoid these nutritional deficiencies?

As mentioned above, preventing micronutrient deficiencies is intrinsically dependent on the availability of foods of high nutritional quality. For those who can, it is therefore advisable to maintain a balanced diet on a daily basis, drawing on all the major food groups and eating as wide a variety of foods as possible.

Once again, when conditions allow, food supplements can be used to top up intakes of essential vitamins, minerals and/or trace elements that would otherwise remain insufficient. In view of the results observed in the West, targeted monosupplementation with vitamin E (which helps protect cells against oxidative stress) would be of some relevance (5).

Discover Natural E 400, a natural and powerful form of vitamin E (D-alpha tocopherol).

Iron also appears to be lacking in the diet of menstruating women in Europe and Central Asia (6).

Iron Bisglycinate is based on a form of iron that is bioavailable and very well tolerated by the digestive system.

Multivitamin supplements, which combine a broader spectrum of micronutrients in a single formula, are still the best option for those who want to maximise their intake easily and effectively by covering their overall daily requirements.

Daily 3® brings together 45 exceptional nutrients, including 16 vitamins and 9 minerals in natural, active forms.

With 32 nutrients, Daily 2® is based on a sustained-release mechanism more in line with natural physiological processes, providing a continuous supply of micronutrients throughout the day.

An 'enriched' version of Daily3®, Daily 6® combines 54 natural ingredients, including notable compounds not found in standard supplements (resveratrol, green tea extract, PQQ, etc.).