Deficiency Diseases and Disorders

Pernicious anaemia is one of the obvious symptoms of a cobalt deficiency.

Pellagra is a deficiency disease caused by lack of niacin (vitamin B3) or its amino acid precursor tryptophan. The classic symptoms are known as the '3 Ds': diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia, with death being the fourth if untreated. Pellagra was historically common in populations dependent on corn-based diets. The other options are deficiencies of different vitamins: folic acid (megaloblastic anemia), vitamin C (scurvy), and thiamine (beriberi).

Hemophilia is a genetic blood disorder where blood doesn't clot properly due to deficiency of clotting factors (Factor VIII or IX). It causes prolonged bleeding even from minor injuries. The disease is inherited and primarily affects males, with females being carriers. It is not related to the liver, brain, or bones.

This is due to protein deficiency and not food calories intake. In developing countries like India it is common in infants below one year of age. The causal factor may be due to early replacement of mother's milk by other foods of low protein and calorific value. This may happen if the mother has a second pregnancy when the older infant is still too young.

Pellagra is a vitamin deficiency disease most frequently caused by a chronic lack of niacin (vitamin B3 in the diet. It can be caused by decreased intake of niacin or tryptophan, and possibly by excessive intake of leucine.

Protein should be supplied only for anabolic purposes. The catabolic needs should be satisfied with carbohydrate and fat. Protein catabolism involves the urea cycle, which is located in the liver and can easily overwhelm the capacity of an already damaged organ.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency anemia and neurologic dysfunction. A mild deficiency may not cause any discernible symptoms, but as the deficiency becomes more significant symptoms of anemia may result.

Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children, characterized by soft and weak bones due to impaired calcium and phosphorus absorption. Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness, and Vitamin B deficiencies cause various disorders like beriberi.

Vitamin D deficiency in adults causes osteomalacia, a condition of soft bones due to impaired bone mineralization. Osteoporosis is bone loss from aging, osteoblast is a bone-forming cell, and osteoma is a bone tumor. The adult equivalent of rickets is osteomalacia.

Anaemia is the medical condition characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. This leads to reduced oxygen-carrying capacity, causing fatigue, weakness, and pale skin. Leucocytosis refers to increased white blood cells, hernia is tissue protrusion, and hypertension is high blood pressure.

Night blindness (nyctalopia) is caused by Vitamin A deficiency, which is essential for the formation of rhodopsin, a pigment in the retina needed for vision in low-light conditions. Vitamin A is found in carrots, leafy vegetables, and animal products. Vitamins B, C, and K are not primarily related to night vision.

 Scurvy   Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits. 

The deficiency of vitamin E causes sterility.

1 and 2 only

Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness (nyctalopia) because retinal, a derivative of Vitamin A, is essential for the formation of rhodopsin (visual purple) in rod cells. Rod cells enable vision in low-light conditions. Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, and Vitamin E deficiency causes neurological problems.