Question

Deficiency of _______causes a disease known as beri-beri.

Answer 1

It is also called thiamine deficiency. It is caused by the poor and restricted diet habits and lack of absorption of the nutrients of the diet. It is most common among the alcoholics and among the people who are subsisting on rice and refined carbohydrates.

Complete Answer:
Beri beri is a disease caused due to the low levels of thiamine or vitamin B1 in the body. It is of two types; wet beri-beri and dry beri-beri.

1. Wet beri-beri:
- It harms the cardiovascular system. It results in shortness of breath, increased heart rate and swelling of legs.
- Sometimes it is fatal as it leads to weakness of capillary walls and cardiac attack.

2. Dry beri-beri:
- It damages the peripheral nervous system resulting in partial paralysis and wasting.
- It results in loss of tendon reflexes, numbness in hands and feet, mental confusion, vomiting, paralysis of lower legs etc

Symptoms:
- Shortness of breath.
- Swelling of legs.
- Weight loss.
- Loss of sensation in hands and legs.
- Speech difficulties.
- Involuntary eye movements.

Treatment: Thiamine deficiency can be cured by the intake of thiamine supplements, and having a healthy diet plan.

Note: Apart from dry and wet beri-beri, there is acute beri-beri which occurs in children of two to six months old whose mothers have inadequate thiamine intake. Another type called Gastrointestinal beri-beri was recognised in the year 2004 which mainly affects the abdomen causing nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting and lactic acidosis.