Are Varicose Veins Caused by Vitamin Deficiency?

Brooke* has suffered from a few health challenges lately. At the top of that list has been the development of twisted and bulging varicose veins. Thankfully, they are currently more of a cosmetic annoyance than anything else. That said, she heard they can worsen and lead to painful symptoms if nothing is done about them. Concerned, she did some research and noticed that vitamin deficiencies often impact overall health. This was significant because Brooke could not recall the last time she consistently took vitamins. Sure, when she was younger she always took the ones her parents used to lay out for her on the kitchen counter each morning before school. That was years ago, though, prompting her to wonder if a prolonged vitamin deficiency could be a factor.

A quick and vague answer to that question is “not necessarily.” While other factors are always at play, including genetics, gender, sedentary lifestyles, pregnancy, and smoking, improving nutrition is one of the best ways to stay healthy and decrease your chances of developing varicose veins later in life. That includes watching what you eat and taking your vitamins—as your parents and general doctor likely told you many times as a child. As for vitamin deficiency directly causing varicose veins? It is more likely to be a contributing factor than the lone culprit.

That does not devalue the importance of vitamins when preventing or limiting the impact varicose veins have on your life. With March being National Nutrition Month, now is a great time to discuss nutrition and vein health. While vitamins alone cannot resolve severe vein disease, they can be crucial to prevention and overall wellness.

Give yourself the gift of better feeling and healing from varicose veins symptoms. Schedule a consultation with a StrideCare vascular specialist today. Our collaborative approach ensures you receive the care you need.

The Link Between Varicose Veins and Vitamin Deficiency

Varicose veins are those twisted, bulging, and often discolored veins on your legs and feet. Most people think they are an unfortunate sign of old age, and in many ways, they can be. That said, these unsightly veins generally appear on your legs because there is a blood flow issue. You may not think there is a problem because varicose veins are often not painful, making them a cosmetic annoyance. They are also largely not considered a life-threatening issue. However, they can be for many people if left untreated. Roughly 25 percent of men and women in the United States have them because blood in their veins is already starting to flow backward and pool in their lower extremities. As a result, their veins begin to stretch, swell, enlarge, and even become twisted. This leads to various symptoms:

• Achy or heavy legs
• Swelling
• Muscle cramps
• Restless legs
• Constant itching
• Pain that worsens after sitting or standing for long periods

As we said earlier, reasons for varicose veins include heredity (if your mom and grandmother had varicose veins, you are predisposed), poor diet, age, smoking, and other health factors.

In a manner of speaking, vitamin deficiency is another contributing factor to consider.

The Role of Vitamin Deficiency

Vitamin deficiencies are defined as a long-term lack of vitamins, either because you are not taking them in pill form or because your diet is loaded with processed and fatty foods that do not provide the right number of essential vitamins and nutrients. As a result, your doctor might inform you that you are deficient in one vitamin, such as Vitamin C. They may say you are lacking the benefits of several, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D, or even Vitamin B12.

Thirteen essential vitamins are universally recognized as necessary for human health, and each vitamin plays a unique role in the body. Lacking any of them can interfere with normal bodily functions and cause various symptoms and health conditions, such as hair loss, bruising easily, fatigue, irritability, weak bones, and dry, thinning skin.

Vitamins are typically broken down into two categories: fat-soluble and water-soluble.

• Fat-soluble vitamins — These are stored in the body’s fat and include Vitamin A, D, E, and K.
• Water-soluble vitamins — These are not stored in the body and must be replenished regularly. They include Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, and Vitamin C.

No studies suggest varicose veins are directly caused by vitamin deficiency. However, growing research indicates that inadequate levels of specific vitamins may contribute to weakened blood vessel walls, poor blood circulation, inflammation, increased threat of blood clots, poor wound healing, and other future vein health issues. Since veins are responsible for returning blood to the heart, any compromise in their structure and function can result in a host of problems that need to be addressed sooner rather than later.

As you age, your veins will naturally become less elastic, worsening circulation issues. In addition to lifestyle changes like regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, ensuring you have the right vitamins can help promote healthy veins and circulation.

You do not have to deal with varicose veins. Schedule a consultation with StrideCare’s expert physicians at one of our vein clinics near you.

Common Vitamins To Include In Your Diet To Limit Varicose Veins

• Vitamin K — Veins that remain naturally strong the older you get keep blood flowing smoothly, thus reducing the risk of varicose veins. Vitamin K is known for preventing smaller blood vessels from stretching and breaking. Vitamin K can be found in leafy vegetables, eggs, lettuce, and broccoli.
• B12 — This specific vitamin is part of a large family of B Vitamins that, when taken consistently over time, improve blood circulation, reduce the threat of blood clots, and keep arteries flexible. B12 is a great example of a vitamin that can promote healthy veins and even repair varicose veins. Top sources of B Vitamins include meat, poultry, dairy products, legumes, and leafy greens.
• Vitamin E — Inflammation in the lining of veins can lead to pronounced varicose veins. This is where Vitamin E can help, as it can widen blood vessels, enhance circulation, and act as a blood thinner. Vitamin E can be found in mangos, avocados, olive oil, pumpkin, nuts, seeds, fish, and dark leafy greens.
• Vitamin C — This key antioxidant reduces inflammation, improves circulation, keeps your veins strong, and helps your body produce collagen as you age. You can find Vitamin C in anything citrus-related, onions, spinach, tropical fruits, potatoes, peppers, and broccoli. If you do not like eating those things, Vitamin C pills can help supplement.

Varicose Veins can be a thing of the past. Schedule a consultation with a StrideCare vascular specialist today. Our collaborative approach ensures you receive the care you need

5 Tips To Reduce Vitamin Deficiency and Improve Varicose Veins

While there is no “magic pill” that 100% guarantees a person can avoid varicose veins, introducing more vitamins into your diet—whether through the foods you eat or in pill form—can be the closest thing to it.

Here are a few extra tips to get you there faster:

1. Talk to your doctor first to identify which vitamins you are lacking. As we said earlier, there are 13 essential vitamins, but you may not be deficient in all of them. Your doctor can help narrow down the list.
2. Limit fatty and processed foods as soon as possible. Doing so will ease the burden of including more vitamins in your diet because they will automatically be in your healthy foods (leafy greens, fish, eggs, poultry, etc.).
3. Incorporate vitamin-rich snacks between meals to account for nutrient gaps. These can include anything from almonds (Vitamin E) to carrot sticks (Vitamin A) or citrus fruits (Vitamin C).
4. Consider taking vitamins in pill form. If you are worried about whether you are getting the right amount of vitamins from the foods you eat, consider supplementing with vitamin pills and multivitamins. Many of the above vitamins can be found in grocery stores and pharmacies.
5. Get more sunlight to increase your Vitamin D intake naturally. A good rule of thumb when getting extra sunshine is to focus on 10 to 30 minutes of sunlight exposure several times a week.

If vitamins and an improved diet do not help with your unique varicose vein issues, the good news is that you have options for medical treatment. Discuss all treatment options with your healthcare provider, including minimally invasive procedures such as sclerotherapy, microfoam ablation, and radiofrequency ablation.

Featured in this video is StrideCare’s expert Interventional Radiologist, Dr. Osama Abdul-Rahim, M.D., discussing the minimally invasive treatment of Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA). RFA is for patients suffering from chronic venous insufficiencies (CVI) with or without varicose veins. This procedure involves using a small catheter to close the veins using radiofrequency waves. This relieves symptoms caused by varicose veins, including heaviness, aching, swelling, itching, tingling, burning, restlessness, skin discoloration, skin ulcers, and leg pain. When our team performs these and other procedures, many patients experience a high success rate with minimal discomfort and can return to enjoying their lives faster.

StrideCare Believes In a Holistic Approach To Treating Varicose Veins

Do conditions such as vitamin deficiency directly cause varicose veins? No. However, it is important to note that vitamin deficiency can be one of many significant contributing factors. Good nutrition, vitamins, and eating the right foods are key to managing symptoms of poor vein health—including varicose veins. In many cases, eating right can entirely avoid varicose veins or keep existing symptoms from getting worse. On the other hand, if you are doing all the right things with your diet and are still struggling with constant varicose vein discomfort, give us a call.

StrideCare has long been a leader in multi-specialty care for treating lower-extremity vascular and podiatric conditions. This includes our ability to perform leading-edge procedures to treat artery and vein disease and symptoms that, while minor in their earliest stages, can eventually lead to more severe and life-interrupting issues. The key is not to delay seeking help. Our expert doctors and caring staff utilize the latest technologies and minimally invasive procedures to help our patients reclaim their lives.

The experts at StrideCare will recommend an individualized plan to help you get the best results. Please contact us at 866-552-4866 or complete the appointment form to schedule a consultation. We are here to help, all while providing compassionate patient care.

This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Prior to starting any new treatment or questions regarding a medical condition, always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider.

StrideCare serves North Texas and South Texas communities, including Pasadena, Pearland, Pflugerville, San Marcos, Schertz, Bay City, Universal City, Spring, Kingwood, Stafford, Conroe, Texas City, Cypress, League City, Bellaire, Dallas, Mesquite, Addison, Arlington, Plano, McKinney, Craig Ranch, Prosper, Flower Mound, Euless, Southlake, South Dallas, Sherman, Irving, Garland, Carrollton, Rowlett, Coppell, Forney, Rockwall, Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Webster, Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Lake Jackson, San Antonio, Stone Oak, Austin, Round Rock, Bastrop, Brushy Creek, Cedar Park, Converse, Georgetown, Hutto, Kyle, Leander, Marble Falls, New Braunfels, and more.

*Patient names and/or photos may be changed to protect patient confidentiality.