Niacin Deficiency
Niacin deficiency is termed Pellagra and this is due to diets low in niacin and/or tryptophan. It may also be produced by an amino acid imbalance or as a result of malabsorption.
So what will an individual with Pellagra manifest? It may start as anorexia, weakness, irritability, numbness and dizziness. This disease has a triad of: – diarrhea, – dermatitis, – and dementia.
The skin lesions may be triggered by exposure to sunlight or heat. It may appear as a symmetrical erythema followed by drying, scaling and pigmentation with vesicles and bullae in some cases. This is commonly seen at the back of the hands, wrists, forearms, face, neck and lower legs.
The gastrointestinal symptoms may include diarrhea, stomatitis and glossitis. And the stools of the affected individual may be pale, foul, milky, soapy or at times steatorrheic.
Moreover, patients with pellagra may show depression, irritability, disorientation, insomnia and delirium.
So, it is really important to eat the right food so as to prevent malnutrition and deficiency of Niacin in the body. We can get Niacin from animal proteins and legumes.
Moreover, avoidance of too large a proportion of corn in the diet prevents pellagra.