Beriberi is caused by deficiency of which vitamin?

Beriberi is caused by deficiency of which vitamin?

• A. Vitamin A
• B. Vitamin B1
• C. Vitamin B2
• D. Vitamin B3

Answer: (B)

Beriberi is caused by a deficiency of vitamin B1, also known as thiamine. Thiamine is converted to thiamine pyrophosphate, an essential cofactor for enzymes that drive carbohydrate energy metabolism, such as pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Without enough thiamine, cells struggle to produce ATP, and tissues with high energy demands—especially the nervous system and the heart—begin to fail, leading to the neurologic (dry) and cardiovascular (wet) forms of beriberi. Polished rice diets historically contributed to this deficiency because the outer layers rich in thiamine are removed. The other vitamins listed cause different deficiency syndromes (for example, vitamin A deficiency affects vision; riboflavin deficiency causes mucocutaneous symptoms; niacin deficiency causes pellagra with dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia), but beriberi is specifically due to lack of thiamine.

Beriberi is caused by a deficiency of vitamin B1, also known as thiamine. Thiamine is converted to thiamine pyrophosphate, an essential cofactor for enzymes that drive carbohydrate energy metabolism, such as pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Without enough thiamine, cells struggle to produce ATP, and tissues with high energy demands—especially the nervous system and the heart—begin to fail, leading to the neurologic (dry) and cardiovascular (wet) forms of beriberi. Polished rice diets historically contributed to this deficiency because the outer layers rich in thiamine are removed. The other vitamins listed cause different deficiency syndromes (for example, vitamin A deficiency affects vision; riboflavin deficiency causes mucocutaneous symptoms; niacin deficiency causes pellagra with dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia), but beriberi is specifically due to lack of thiamine.