By team Briyo Supplements · Updated August 2026
Here's the uncomfortable pattern behind most nutrient deficiencies: they don't feel like anything specific. They feel like life. Tired? Work. Moody? Stress. Aching? Age. So people carry fixable shortfalls for years, medicating themselves with chai and willpower, when a blood test and a small daily correction would have sorted it.
These are the deficiencies that show up again and again in Indian studies - what they feel like, who's most at risk, and what to do about each.
1. Vitamin D - the near-universal one
How common: urban studies routinely find 70-90 percent of people below the healthy range. In a sunny country. (The reasons - indoor lives, covered skin, melanin, pollution - are a story of their own; we've told it here.)
What it feels like: fatigue, bone and lower-back aches, muscle heaviness, frequent minor infections, low mood.
Most at risk: office workers, anyone mostly indoors, older adults, darker skin tones - which is to say, most of us.
The fix: a 25(OH)D blood test to confirm, then daily D3 1000-2000 IU with a meal, retest in three months.
2. Vitamin B12 - the vegetarian gap
How common: studies repeatedly find around half of Indians low, higher among strict vegetarians - because B12 lives almost entirely in animal foods.
What it feels like: tiredness sleep doesn't fix, tingling in hands and feet, brain fog, a sore or smooth tongue, low mood, pallor.
Most at risk: vegetarians and vegans, older adults (absorption falls with age), and anyone on long-term acidity medication - the last one surprises people.
The fix: daily B12 with folate. Full details in our B12 guide.
3. Iron - the one that hits women hardest
How common: national surveys consistently show over half of Indian women of reproductive age are anaemic, most of it iron-related. Men aren't exempt, but women carry the bulk of it.
What it feels like: exhaustion, breathlessness on stairs, pale skin and inner eyelids, cold hands and feet, brittle nails, unusual cravings (ice is the famous one).
Most at risk: menstruating and pregnant women, vegetarians (plant iron absorbs poorly), frequent tea-with-meals drinkers - tannins block iron absorption.
The fix: this one deserves a doctor first - iron is the deficiency you should confirm before supplementing, since too much is its own problem. Meanwhile, pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C and move the chai an hour away from meals.
4. Folate (B9) - the pregnancy-critical one
How common: less universal than the top three, but common enough - and the stakes are highest exactly when it matters most, in early pregnancy.
What it feels like: fatigue, irritability, mouth ulcers; often hides behind B12 deficiency since they work together.
Most at risk: pregnant women and anyone planning pregnancy - which is why folate supplementation before conception is standard medical advice everywhere.
The fix: leafy greens and legumes daily; supplements combining B12 + folate cover both partners at once. Pregnancy dosing is your obstetrician's call.
5. Calcium - the slow-motion one
How common: Indian average intakes sit well below recommendations, and it compounds quietly - peak bone mass is built by your early 30s, then it's maintenance forever.
What it feels like: nothing, for years. That's the trap. It surfaces decades later as fragile bones.
Most at risk: low-dairy diets, post-menopausal women, anyone with the vitamin D deficiency above - because without D, dietary calcium largely passes through unabsorbed.
The fix: dairy, ragi and sesame in the diet, vitamin D sorted first, and a combined formula like OrthoMax Calcium + D3 + K2 where intake stays short.
The pattern worth noticing
Look at the list again: every entry is either fatigue, aches, fog or nothing at all. No deficiency announces itself by name. Which leads to the one genuinely useful habit - test, don't guess. A basic panel covering vitamin D, B12, haemoglobin and ferritin costs less than a family dinner and turns vague complaints into a specific, fixable plan.
And one closing honesty: supplements fix deficiencies; they don't upgrade an already-adequate level into superpowers. That's why we'd rather you test first - it tells you which of these five actually applies to you.
FAQ
Which blood tests should I ask for? The practical starter panel: 25(OH) vitamin D, serum B12, haemoglobin and ferritin (iron stores). These four cover the overwhelming majority of common deficiencies.
Can I have more than one deficiency at once? Very commonly - they share causes. A vegetarian office worker can easily be low on D, B12 and iron simultaneously, which is why the symptoms blur together.
How long does correction take? Weeks to months depending on the nutrient and how low you started. B12 and D rebuild over 8-12 weeks of consistency; iron typically takes a few months under medical guidance.
Are these symptoms proof of deficiency? No - fatigue and fog have many causes. That's exactly why the test matters: it either confirms a cheap, fixable cause or rules it out so you look elsewhere.
Briyo products are food supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a healthcare professional before use if you have a medical condition or are taking medication.