Micronutrients are the smaller building blocks, such as minerals and vitamins, we need to sustain life and have optimal function. Micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) are quite common worldwide. Iron, iodine, folate, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies are the most common MNDs. They are responsible for perinatal complications, poor growth in children, and increased mortality and morbidity. 1 They can be just as devastating to adults. This post will describe the deficiencies, their symptoms, and how to correct them.
Read MoreRandomized control trials (RCTs) have long been considered the gold standard for determining the effectiveness of a drug, surgery, or other medical intervention. But observational studies, although long regarded as second-rate compared to RCTs, have contributed invaluable information to the medical sciences. Indeed, analyses of RCTs compared to observational studies have concluded that well-run observational studies are comparable. I will explain RCTs and observational studies later in this post, but first, I want to tell the story of John Snow and how he used his powers of observation to lower worldwide death rates, perhaps more than anyone in history.
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