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Pellagra is a disease caused by a lack of the vitamin niacin (vitamin B 3). [2] Symptoms include inflamed skin, diarrhea, dementia, and sores in the mouth. [1] Areas of the skin exposed to friction and radiation are typically affected first. [1]
A man with pellagra, which is caused by a chronic lack of vitamin B 3 in the diet. Severe deficiency of niacin in the diet causes the disease pellagra, characterized by diarrhea, sun-sensitive dermatitis involving hyperpigmentation and thickening of the skin (see image), inflammation of the mouth and tongue, delirium, dementia, and if left untreated, death. [7]
Niacin deficiency is a consequence of a diet low in both niacin and the amino acid tryptophan, a precursor for the vitamin. Low plasma tryptophan is a non-specific indicator, meaning it can have other causes. The signs and symptoms of niacin deficiency start to revert within days of oral supplementation with large amounts of the vitamin. [23] [24]
Niacin is added to flour, bread products, and fortified cereals to lower the risk of developing disease due to nutritional deficiency. It’s also found in foods like chicken and turkey breast ...
Niacin is a common vitamin found in many foods, including meat, fish, nuts, grains and cereals, according to the National Institutes of Health. Eating these foods allows most Americans to consume ...
Symptoms may be triggered by sunlight, fever, drugs, or emotional or physical stress. A period of poor nutrition nearly always precedes an attack. The attacks usually become progressively less frequent with age. Most symptoms occur sporadically and are caused by a deficiency of niacinamide. A rash develops on parts of the body exposed to the sun.
[4] [5] Niacin as a dietary supplement is used to treat pellagra, a disease caused by niacin deficiency. Signs and symptoms of pellagra include skin and mouth lesions, anemia, headaches, and tiredness. [6] Many countries mandate its addition to wheat flour or other food grains, thereby reducing the risk of pellagra. [4] [7]
Once you get an evaluation, a doctor will usually order a blood test to check for a vitamin B12 deficiency, along with other potential factors that could cause dementia-like symptoms, Sachdev says.