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In medicine, a deficiency is a lack or shortage of a functional entity, by less than normal or necessary supply or function. A person can have chromosomal deficiencies, mental deficiencies, nutritional deficiencies, complement deficiencies, or enzyme deficiencies.
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]
Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. [11] [12] Specifically, it is a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients which adversely affects the body's tissues and form.
Proteins are the basis of many animal body structures (e.g. muscles, skin, and hair) and form the enzymes that control chemical reactions throughout the body. Each protein molecule is composed of amino acids which contain nitrogen and sometimes sulphur (these components are responsible for the distinctive smell of burning protein, such as the ...
The body's stores for different vitamins vary widely; vitamins A, D, and B 12 are stored in significant amounts, mainly in the liver, [20] and an adult's diet may be deficient in vitamins A and D for many months and B 12 in some cases for years, before developing a deficiency condition.
Vitamin B 12 deficiency, also known as cobalamin deficiency, is the medical condition in which the blood and tissue have a lower than normal level of vitamin B 12. [5] Symptoms can vary from none to severe. [1] Mild deficiency may have few or absent symptoms. [1]
Humoral immune deficiency (including B cell deficiency or dysfunction), with signs or symptoms depending on the cause, but generally include signs of hypogammaglobulinemia (decrease of one or more types of antibodies) with presentations including repeated mild respiratory infections, and/or agammaglobulinemia (lack of all or most antibody production) which results in frequent severe infections ...
Vitamin D deficiency is typically diagnosed by measuring the concentration of the 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the blood, which is the most accurate measure of stores of vitamin D in the body. [1] [7] [2] One nanogram per millilitre (1 ng/mL) is equivalent to 2.5 nanomoles per litre (2.5 nmol/L). Severe deficiency: < 12 ng/mL = < 30 nmol/L [2]