Doctors have voiced concerns after ‘concerning’ rise in the number of people admitted to hospital for health problems caused by a lack of vitamins. According to NHS figures analysed by the PA news agency there has been a dramatic rise in patients with a main diagnosis of anaemia, caused by lack of iron, and B vitamin deficiencies.
The Royal College of GPs said the findings are “very concerning”. With problems often caused by diet they have warned nutritious food is becoming “increasingly unaffordable” for some.
Symptoms of iron deficiency include being very pale, irritability, fatigue, increased heart rate, sore or swollen tongue, and enlarged spleen. The condition can cause heart failure if left untreated.
In the year 2023/24, there were 191,927 hospital admissions in England where the main reason was a lack of iron, up 11% on the previous year’s 173,227. The 2023/24 figure is also up almost 10-fold on the 20,396 hospital admissions for a lack of iron in 1998/99.
Meanwhile, for B vitamin deficiency (other than folate), there were 2,630 admissions in 2023/24 where this was the main reason. This is an increase of 15% on the 2,236 in 2022/23 and more than triple the 833 in 1998/1999.
Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia led to 3,490 hospital admissions in 2023/24. This is similar to the previous year, but up four-fold from 836 in 1998/99.
But when looking at patients admitted for any reason but also recorded as having a vitamin deficiency, the numbers are even higher. In 2023/24, there were 804,936 courses of NHS treatment involving people who had iron deficiency anaemia, up from 721,650 the year before.
There were also 38,140 courses of treatment involving people with vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia. This is up from 35,983 the year before, alongside 227,097 for other B vitamin deficiency, up from 201,320.
Symptoms of B vitamin deficiency can vary but include fatigue, muscle problems, breathlessness, headaches, pale skin, vision problems and heart palpitations.
The data further showed 486 courses of treatment involved people with vitamin C deficiency, up from 338 the previous year. A further 773 involved a lack of calcium, up from 758.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: “It is very concerning that cases of nutrition-related anaemia serious enough to warrant hospital admission have seen such a substantial increase over the past 25 years. The near 10-fold rise in admissions for patients with a diagnosis of iron deficiency and a four-fold increase in folate deficiencies – primarily caused by a lack of nutrition in the diet – is particularly troubling.
“While treatable with supplements or dietary changes, it comes with the risk of complications – in children, iron deficiency can be detrimental to development and has been linked to poorer attainment at school.” She said the link between overall health and nutrition “is well established” and a “poor diet can increase a patient’s risk of developing certain health conditions, while also exacerbating existing conditions”.
Prof Hawthorne added: “We have seen fresh, healthier foods spike in price over the last few years, making a nutritious diet increasingly unaffordable for some, while ‘fast foods’ are cheap, are filling and easy to access, but are low in nutritious content. GPs are on the front line of this public health crisis, caring for patients who are experiencing the health consequences of growing deprivation.
“A recent survey of our members found that 74% of GPs have seen an increase in the number of presentations linked to poverty over the past year. It is unacceptable that a developed nation like the UK should see an increase in the number of conditions that can be linked to poverty and poor nutrition and yet this is the reality.”
A Government spokesman said: “Lord Darzi’s report laid bare the poor health of our nation, which is putting pressure on our NHS services. Our 10-Year Health Plan will shift the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention and will include action to ensure people have access to a healthy and balanced diet.
“Through the Plan for Change, we will fix the foundations of the country to ensure everyone lives healthier lives for longer.”
Symptoms of iron-deficient anaemia
Common symptoms
According to the NHS common symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia can include:
- tiredness and lack of energy
- shortness of breath
- noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
- paler than usual skin
- headaches
Less common symptoms
Less common symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia (that are not usually connected to pregnancy) include:
- hearing ringing, buzzing or hissing noises inside your head (tinnitus)
- food tasting strange
- feeling itchy
- a sore tongue
- hair loss – you notice more hair coming out when brushing or washing it
- wanting to eat non-food items, such as paper or ice (pica)
- finding it hard to swallow (dysphagia)
- painful open sores (ulcers) in the corners of your mouth
- nail changes, such as spoon-shaped nails
- restless legs syndrome
Symptoms of B12 deficiency anaemia
The NHS lists symptoms of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency anaemia as including:
- rapid breathing or shortness of breath
- headaches
- indigestion
- loss of appetite
- palpitations
- problems with your vision
- feeling weak or tired
- diarrhoea
- a sore or red tongue, sometimes with mouth ulcers
- problems with memory, understanding and judgment (cognitive changes)
Some of these symptoms can also happen in people who have a vitamin B12 or folate deficiency but have not developed anaemia.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms that affect your brain and nervous system (neurological symptoms), including:
- numbness
- muscle weakness
- psychological problems, which can range from mild depression or anxiety, to confusion and dementia
- problems with balance and coordination
- pins and needles
- incontinence
Vitamin C deficiency symptoms
Lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy. The NHS says symptoms of scurvy may include:
- feeling very tired and weak all the time
- feeling irritable and sad all the time
- joint, muscle or leg pain
- swollen, bleeding gums (sometimes teeth can fall out)
- developing red or blue spots on the skin, usually on the legs and feet, although this may be less noticeable on brown or black skin
- skin that bruises easily
Calcium deficiency symptoms
According to The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust calcium is important for keeping your heart beating and your brain active so too little means the body takes it from its bones. This can cause problems like osteoporosis – or weak bones which are prone to fracture.
However it can be hard to spot too little calcium. The hospital says aside from fragile bones other symptoms can include:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Faintness
- Anxiety or irritability
- Low blood pressure
- Intestinal cramping
- Spinal or hip pain
- Compression fracture
- Loss of height
- Spasms of the lungs
- Brittle nails and hair
Vitamin-boosting foods
- Iron: Good sources of iron in the diet include red meat, kidney beans, edamame beans and chickpeas, nuts, breakfast cereals with added vitamins and dried fruit, such as dried apricots
- B vitamins and folate: B vitamins and folate are found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, kale, spring greens and spinach, and chickpeas and kidney beans.
- B12: Sources of vitamin B12 include meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Good sources include citrus fruit, such as oranges and orange juice. peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli, brussels sprouts and potatoes
- Calcium: You can find calcium in dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. There is also calcium in fortified soy and rice drinks, fortified juice, and fish where you eat the bones (like sardines). While some vegetables like leafy greens have calcium in them, this form of calcium is not well absorbed by people.