Nutrient deficiency despite full plates – why modern foods are often no longer sufficient

Analysis & Causes

You regularly eat fruit, vegetables, and whole grains – and yet blood tests or performance data show deficiencies. This is not an individual failure, but a structural problem with modern nutrition.

Overbreeding, monocultures and depleted soils
Modern agriculture is optimized for yield, shelf life, and appearance, not for micronutrient density. Many plants grow faster, contain more water, and fewer minerals. At the same time, soils are often poor in trace elements such as zinc, selenium, or magnesium.

Long transport routes and storage times
Vitamins, especially vitamin C, B vitamins, and phytochemicals, are sensitive to light, oxygen, and time. Days or even weeks often pass between harvesting and consumption – resulting in measurable losses.

Increased need due to training, stress and sweat loss
Exercise increases the turnover of many micronutrients:

• Magnesium, sodium, potassium → sweat losses
• Iron, B vitamins → energy metabolism
• Zinc → Regeneration, immune system
  What is considered "sufficient" for the general population is often only the lower limit for active people.

Consequences for training & everyday life

A suboptimal micronutrient status does not immediately manifest as illness, but rather develops gradually:

• previous fatigue
• longer regeneration times
• increased susceptibility to infection
• Concentration problems
• stagnant performance

In training, this means: You continue to exert yourself, but the physiological adaptations do not occur.

Daily micronutrients: What the body needs regularly

Without going into therapeutic doses, there is a daily base that should be consistently covered:

Essential minerals:

• Magnesium (muscle function, nervous system)
• Zinc (immune system, cell division)
• Iron (oxygen transport, especially relevant for endurance athletes and women)
• Calcium (bones, muscle contraction)
• Selenium (antioxidant systems)

Vitamins:

• Vitamin D (muscle function, immune system – diet alone is usually insufficient)
• B-complex (energy metabolism, nervous system)
• Vitamin C (collagen formation, cell protection)
• Vitamin K (bone metabolism)

These substances are not stored like energy , but must be supplied regularly.

The scam of many multivitamin preparations

Many commercially available multivitamins suggest complete nutrition, but actually deliver:

• very low doses , often only slightly above the minimum amount
• unfavorable compounds with poor bioavailability
• Long ingredient lists , but without functional relevance
• Focus on "100% NRV" instead of sports physiology needs

This is problematic for active people:
The preparations are legally sound, but often ineffective in practice.

More ingredients do not automatically mean better care – form, dosage and context are crucial.

Why targeted supplementation can be beneficial

Supplements do not replace nutrition. They correct structural deficiencies when:

• no longer able to supply sufficient food
• the need is increased (training, stress, lack of sleep)
• Individual deficits are known

A focused micronutrient base is advisable, which includes:

• is taken daily
• is limited to relevant vitamins and minerals
• is sufficiently dosed without becoming therapeutic

Conclusion