Deficiencies of Vitamin B3
(Niacin)
Niacin deficiency includes fatigue,
poor appetite, diarrhea, irritability, headache, emotional instability and
possible memory loss. These may lead to changes in the skin, mucosa of the
mouth, stomach and intestinal tract and the nervous system. These changes are
called “pellagra”, which means “raw skin” and are most pronounced in the parts
of the skin exposed to sunlight. Other signs and symptoms include dizziness,
vomiting, constipation or diarrhoea, and inflammation of the tongue and gastric
mucosa. The neurological symptoms can include fatigue, sleeplessness,
depression, memory loss and visual impairment. If untreated, pellagra is
ultimately fatal.
Presently, pellagra is rarely seen in most industrialized
countries except among chronic alcoholics and individuals with conditions that
disrupt tryptophan pathways. In more recent times, pellagra has been reported
in India, and parts of China and Africa.
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