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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]
Independently of clinical symptoms, blood level of tryptophan or urinary metabolites such as 2-pyridone/N-methylnicotinamide ratio <2 or NAD/NADP ratio in red blood cells can diagnose pellagra. The diagnosis is confirmed by rapid improvements in symptoms after doses of nicotinamide (250–500 mg/day) or nicotinamide enriched food. [7]
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]
Micronutrient deficiencies are considered a public health problem worldwide. For over 30 years it has been estimated that more than two billion people of all ages are affected by this burden, [1] while a recently published study based on individual-level biomarker data estimated that there are 372 million children aged 5 years and younger, and 1.2 billion non-pregnant women of reproductive age ...
Pellagra, a similar condition, is also caused by low nicotinamide; this disorder results in dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia. [ citation needed ] Hartnup disease is a disorder of amino acid transport in the intestine and kidneys; otherwise, the intestine and kidneys function normally, and the effects of the disease occur mainly in the brain ...
Tea and toast syndrome is a form of malnutrition commonly experienced by elderly people who cannot prepare meals and tend to themselves. The term is not intrinsic to tea or bread products only; rather, it describes limited dietary patterns that lead to reduced calories resulting in a deficiency of vitamins and other nutrients.
Folate deficiency, also known as vitamin B 9 deficiency, is a low level of folate and derivatives in the body. [1] This may result in megaloblastic anemia in which red blood cells become abnormally large, and folate deficiency anemia is the term given for this medical condition. [3] Signs of folate deficiency are often subtle. [4]
Diagnosis is typically made based on clinical suspicion and a low zinc level in the blood. Any level below 70 mcg/dL (normal 70-120 mcg/dL) is considered zinc deficiency. However there is a paucity of adequate zinc biomarkers, and the most widely used indicator, plasma zinc, has poor sensitivity and specificity. [53]