Most people blame sugar cravings, brain fog, and chronic fatigue on their personality. Yet, research shows that 80% of your mood and energy is dictated by nutrition. This analysis found that many common “bad habits” like sugar cravings, procrastination, low mood, and compulsive picking are sometimes signs of nutrient deficiencies. This affects up to 75% of the US population.
In their April 2026 analysis, Ben’s Natural Health set out to find which habits are actually caused by nutrient deficiencies. They cross-referenced NHANES data with clinical symptom patterns to identify which of the “bad habits” are likely to be nutritional imbalances, and what to do about them.
1. Take a Look at Your Magnesium Levels if You Struggle with a Sweet Tooth
Strong sugar cravings are often caused by magnesium deficiency, which affects up to 75% of adults. Without enough magnesium, blood sugar drops, so the brain starts looking for a quick fix. That’s usually when you crave chocolate, cakes, or sweets to stabilize blood sugar.
What to do: Try swapping chocolate for a handful of pumpkin seeds or almonds. If you decide to take supplements to compensate for nutrient deficiencies, try glycinate or citrate (200–400 mg/day), which have the highest absorption.
2. You Are Not a Lazy Procrastinator – Iron Deficiency Might Be at Fault
Laziness and procrastination are signs of iron deficiency, affecting nearly 1 in 3 adults. Iron carries oxygen to the brain, without which fatigue, brain fog, and a loss of motivation can easily take over.
What to Do: Ask specifically for a ferritin test, as standard blood tests check haemoglobin, not ferritin (stored iron). Meanwhile, keep a carnivore-heavy diet that is focused on red meat, lentils, and spinach to combat these nutrient deficiencies.
3. You Are Not a Depressed Burnout – Ask Your Doctor for a Vitamin D Test
Sleepiness and low mood are signs of low vitamin D levels, affecting 42% of U.S. adults. Vitamin D directly regulates mood, motivation, and the sleep cycle. A lack of it can cause symptoms that closely mirror depression.
What to Do: For dietary sources, choose fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified milk. If you take supplements to help prevent nutrient deficiencies, aim for 4,000–5,000 IU of D3 daily, taken with fat, such as Omega-3 pills, for absorption.
4. You Are Not a Compulsive Mess, Check if You Lack Zinc
Low zinc levels can trigger compulsive habits like skin and nail picking. When zinc is low, nails and skin become brittle, crack, and dry out. The natural response is to pick at them, which only makes things worse and keeps the cycle going.
What to Do: Take 25–50 mg of elemental zinc daily. Additionally, try incorporating oysters, red meat, and chickpeas into your diet to help prevent nutrient deficiencies.
Bottom Line
“7 in 10 people who came to us for supplement advice had been trying to fix their symptoms with lifestyle changes alone. For example, new routines, diets, and productivity apps, before anyone suggested checking their bloodwork. People treat symptoms as character flaws instead of checking whether their body has what they need to function. If you’ve been fighting the same ‘bad habit’ for months and nothing is working, the fix might not be a new habit – it might be a nutrient you’ve been missing,” says leading health expert at Ben’s Natural Health.
Nutritional Deficiencies
More than 2 billion people worldwide—roughly 30% of the global population—suffer from nutrient deficiencies (hidden hunger), particularly in vitamin A, iodine, iron, and zinc. These deficiencies primarily affect children under five and pregnant women, contributing significantly to disease, impaired development, and death.
Impact on Health
Micronutrient deficiencies are a leading cause of severe illness, increasing risks of blindness, birth defects, and infections like malaria and pneumonia.
Summary on Nutritional Deficiencies
- Global Impact: Over 5 billion people do not consume enough iodine (\(68\%\)), vitamin E (\(67\%\)), or calcium (\(66\%\)).
- Most Common Nutrient Deficiencies: Iron deficiency is widespread, affecting roughly 2 billion people, while Vitamin A deficiency is a primary concern for roughly 125 million preschool children.
- Regional Differences: While prevalent in low-income countries, deficiencies also occur in developed nations. In the U.S., Vitamin D deficiency affects up to \(31\%\) of non-Hispanic Black individuals.
- Most Vulnerable: Pregnant women and children under 5 are the highest-risk groups.
- Deficiency Drivers: Lack of access to nutrient-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables, and animal products, causes these deficiencies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
This article was created at the WHN News Desk in collaboration with Jane Adams on behalf of Ben’s Natural Health, working hard to ensure that you can rest easy, knowing that their products are high-quality, pure, effective, and ethically sourced formulations.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN neither agrees nor disagrees with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
