Vitamin B12, vitamin D and iron deficiency in India: signs and fixes
The nutrient gaps most common in Indian diets: vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, iodine and fibre. Signs to watch for, which blood tests to ask for, vegetarian food sources, and how to cover the gaps every day.
Part of Why Indian diets need different nutrition. Related: Daily Greens, a daily nutrition supplement.
Akanksha Singh
Short answer: the nutrient gaps most common in Indian diets are vitamin B12 (especially in vegetarians), vitamin D (despite the sun), iron (especially in women), iodine where salt is not iodised, and fibre. They cause overlapping symptoms: tiredness, poor focus, hair fall, tingling, frequent illness. A blood test tells you which you are low in. A diagnosed deficiency needs the dose your doctor sets; a daily base with B12, D, iodine and selenium plus greens and fibre helps keep everyday intake up afterwards.
Last updated: October 2026.
Key takeaways
- B12 comes almost only from animal foods. Plants and spirulina are not reliable sources.
- Vitamin D is made in skin in strong sun; indoor life and pollution keep levels low.
- Iron from plants is absorbed less well than from meat; vitamin C (amla, lemon) helps, tea with meals hinders.
- Symptoms overlap, so test rather than guess.
- Too much of some nutrients (vitamin A, D, iron, selenium) is harmful. Do not stack supplements blindly.
The common gaps, signs and sources
| Nutrient | Who is most at risk | Common signs | Vegetarian sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | Vegetarians, vegans, long-term metformin or antacid users | Tiredness, tingling, poor memory, mouth ulcers | Milk, curd, paneer, eggs, fortified foods |
| Vitamin D | Indoor workers, covered clothing, older adults | Tiredness, bone and muscle aches, frequent illness | Sunlight, fortified foods, eggs, mushrooms grown in UV light |
| Iron | Women of child-bearing age, vegetarians, teenagers | Tiredness, breathlessness, pale skin, hair fall | Dals, green leafy vegetables, jaggery, millets, with vitamin C |
| Iodine | Non-iodised salt users | Thyroid swelling, tiredness | Iodised salt, dairy |
| Fibre | Refined-grain diets, low vegetable intake | Constipation, bloating | Whole dals, vegetables, fruit with skin, whole grains |
More detail: active B vitamins and vitamin D3, vitamins in a greens powder.
Which blood tests to ask for
- Complete blood count and ferritin (iron stores)
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D (25-hydroxy)
- TSH (thyroid)
- Fasting blood sugar or HbA1c
If a test shows a deficiency, treat it with your doctor first. Doses for correction are often much higher than any daily food supplement.
Why vegetarians in India need to plan for B12
Vitamin B12 is made by bacteria, and reaches humans through animal foods. Dairy supplies some, but many vegetarians do not reach the 2.5 microgram daily requirement from diet alone. Spirulina is often sold as a B12 source; most of what it contains is an inactive form. Spirulina and the B12 problem.
How to cover the gaps every day
Food first: dals, vegetables, dairy, fruit and some sun. But busy weeks happen, and the gaps add up quietly. Daily Greens was built for exactly this:
| Gap | In Daily Greens |
|---|---|
| B12, vitamin D, iodine, selenium | A measured vitamin-mineral premix, because plants cannot supply these reliably |
| Vitamin C for iron absorption | Amla extract |
| Greens most people do not eat | Wheatgrass and barley grass juice powders, spirulina, broken-cell chlorella, moringa |
| Fibre | PHGG and chicory inulin |
| Gut bacteria | Spore probiotic Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 |
For the workday, Signal adds an active B-complex with vitamin D3 and algal DHA, the vegetarian omega-3. If you take both, the ledger lists totals so you can add them up.
See Daily Greens Pre-order free
Do not overdo it
Vitamin A, vitamin D, iron, zinc and selenium build up in the body. Do not take iron without a test showing you need it, keep vitamin D under 4,000 IU a day unless your doctor says otherwise, and add up every supplement you take.
Sources
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, 2020. Nutrient Requirements for Indians.
- Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) 2016-18, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin D fact sheet.
Get the vitamin-mineral premix in Daily Greens, with 22 more named ingredients
| Grass juice powders, spirulina, chlorella, moringa | The greens most busy diets miss, in one scoop |
| Amla, ashwagandha, tulsi, turmeric, ginger | Standardised extracts with the figure on the label |
| Spore probiotic + PHGG and inulin | A daily gut routine that keeps without a fridge |
| B12, vitamin D, iodine, selenium | The gaps a plant base cannot fill |
| 23 ingredients, all named | No proprietary blend, every batch tested. Mango and lime. |
First batch: only 55 pouches. Pre-ordering is free, and nothing is charged until we email you the price. If you take prescribed medicine or are pregnant, check the ingredient list with your doctor first.
Common questions
What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency?
Tiredness, pale skin, tingling or numbness in hands and feet, poor memory, mouth ulcers and low mood. A blood test confirms it; long-standing deficiency needs treatment from a doctor.
Why is vitamin D deficiency so common in India despite sunshine?
Indoor work, covered clothing, darker skin, air pollution and few fortified foods mean many people make too little vitamin D in their skin.
What are good vegetarian sources of B12?
Milk, curd, paneer and eggs (for those who eat them), plus fortified foods. Plants and spirulina are not reliable sources, so many vegetarians need a supplement.
Which blood tests should I ask for if I feel tired?
Haemoglobin and ferritin for iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D (25-OH), thyroid (TSH) and fasting blood sugar are a common starting set. Your doctor decides what fits you.
Can a greens powder fix a vitamin deficiency?
No. A diagnosed deficiency needs the measured dose your doctor prescribes. A greens powder with a premix helps keep everyday intake up, which is a different job.
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