Thiamine deficiency and their symptoms

Thiamine efficiency can cause cardiovascular and neurological signs and symptoms. Beriberi a serious thiamine efficiency disease, usually affects Asians, who subsist mainly on a diet of unenriched rice and wheat.

Among the symptoms of beriberi: chiefly nervous and cardiovascular systems affected; mental confusion, muscular weakness, loss of ankle and knee jerks, painful calf muscles, peripheral paralysis, edema (wet beriberi), muscle wasting (dry beriberi), enlarged heart.

In the United States, although uncommon, it usually occur in alcoholics, malnourished young adults, and infants who are on a low proteins diet or are being breast-fed by thiamine efficient mothers.

Sign and symptoms of infantile beriberi include cyanosis, dyspnea, tachycardia, aphonia (soundless crying), and eventual cardiac failure.

Although whole grains may be rich in thiamine, processing of grains significantly reduces their thiamine content. Likewise, because thiamin is water soluble and heat sensitive, cooking largely results in the loss or destruction of this vitamin especially when chlorinate waster is used.
Thiamine deficiency and their symptoms