Beri-Beri is a disease considered to be an extreme form of avitaminosis, the cause of which is a significant deficiency of vitamin B1, i.e. thiamine. Lack of vitamins in the body can have serious effects. See what are the symptoms of vitamin B1 deficiency and find out what the Beri-Beri treatment is about.
Beri-Beriis a disease that was known in antiquity, mainly in Asia, where the basis of nutrition was white and husked rice, devoid of some nutritional values.
For centuries, Beri-Beri's disease was considered fatal. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that an important compound was discovered in rice bran, which led to further research and finally the isolation of vitamin B1 to prevent this disease. It turned out that vitamin B1, also called thiamine, plays an extremely important role in the human body.
Beri-Beri - the meaning of vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 is involved in the so-called tissue respiration, primarily the transformation of carbohydrates, participating in the process of glucose breakdown. This is important because thanks to this, the body does not accumulate pyruvic acid, the excess of which leads to damage to tissues, nerve cells and some muscles.
In addition, vitamin B1 supports the proper functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and some scientists believe that it also affects the immune system. Thiamin also supports wound healing and relieves pain, it also has antioxidant properties and participates in metabolic processes.
Beriberi - causes of the disease
Thiamin is obtained with food and in the case of a well-balanced diet, it is difficult to lead to its deficiency. However, there are situations in which the need for vitamin B1 increases significantly, e.g. during pregnancy and breastfeeding, during infections, with a very high fever, with significant physical exertion, in people leading a stressful lifestyle, in the elderly.
It is not without significance to consume excessive amounts of coffee and tea (which flush thiamine from the body) and in the event of an overactive thyroid gland.
Thiamine deficiency can also be associated with excessive alcohol consumption, frequent diarrhea or the use of certain medications (which causes the increased excretion of the vitamin from the body), malnutrition oreating foods (e.g. raw fish) that contain thiaminase, an enzyme that destroys thiamin.
Beriberi - symptoms and diagnosis
There are two types of Beri-Beri disease:
- dry, with predominant symptoms from the nervous system
- wet, related to the cardiovascular system.
Regardless of the type of Beri-Beri (they often occur simultaneously), the most characteristic symptoms of the disease are:
- nerve paralysis, including sensory disturbances, weakness
- fatigue
- pain
- gradual atrophy of muscles over time, mainly of the lower limbs
- pins and needles around the hands and feet
- nystagmus
- palpitations
- feeling short of breath
- swelling
- memory and concentration disorders
- lack of appetite
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
When thiamine deficiency is not yet extreme, the symptoms can be so uncharacteristic that it is difficult to make a diagnosis right away. Sometimes people come to the doctor who complain of prolonged fatigue, muscle tremors, low blood pressure or increased heart rate, and it is not easy to associate these symptoms with vitamin B1 deficiency. Meanwhile, to find out that there is not enough of it in the body, it is enough to perform a blood test and determine the concentration of thiamine.
Beriberi - treatment and prevention
Treatment of Beri-Beri consists in supplementing vitamin B1 with the use of appropriate vitamin preparations. It is difficult to overdose (only in the case of taking it in the form of intramuscular injections), because it has a limited ability to be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, and its excess is removed with urine.
When the thiamine level returns to normal, it is important to continue the therapy - it is best to modify the diet to provide vitamin B1 in the food.
A rich source of vitamin B1 is:
- pork meat
- cereal products (wheat bread, whole grain bread, pasta, oatmeal, bran)
- barley, buckwheat, semolina
- brown rice,
- fish (e.g. mackerel or salmon)
- eggs
Large amounts of thiamine are also found in:
- pistachio and peanuts
- sunflower seeds
- dry seeded legumes
Fruits and vegetables are a slightly less rich source of thiamine, which does not mean that it is not worth introducing to the menu, among others :
- green peas
- bananas
- avocado
- beetroot
- watermelon
- raspberries
- currant
- mandarins
- spinach
- cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- cabbage
- season