Category: Deficiency diseases

According to the World Health Organization, pellagra remains endemic in certain regions where limited diets are common. This condition, the disease due to vitamin B3 deficiency, can cause severe and widespread symptoms if left untreated.

Historically, pellagra was responsible for over 100,000 deaths in the American South, a time when many lacked niacin due to poor diet. This once-common and devastating condition is caused by a severe vitamin B3 deficiency, profoundly affecting multiple body systems, including the skin, digestive tract, and nervous system.

According to the World Health Organization, vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects more than half of all countries, particularly impacting young children and pregnant women in low-income regions. The source of vitamin A deficiency is not limited to poor dietary intake but also involves complex factors affecting the body's ability to absorb, store, and utilize this crucial fat-soluble nutrient.

While true dietary vitamin E deficiency is rare in healthy adults, it can lead to serious neurological disorders, most notably ataxia with vitamin E deficiency (AVED), especially in individuals with fat malabsorption conditions. A deficiency impairs nerve function due to increased oxidative stress, which vitamin E usually counters.

Approximately 6% of people under 60 and 20% over 60 in Western populations may have vitamin B12 deficiency, a condition that occurs when the body lacks sufficient cobalamin. When deficient, this essential nutrient can cause severe health issues by impacting the nervous system and red blood cell production.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), micronutrient deficiencies affect more than two billion people worldwide. These are among the most common examples of dietary deficiency diseases, which are health conditions caused by a lack of essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in the diet. Understanding these conditions is the first step toward effective prevention and treatment.

According to a 2016 study, adequate vitamin C levels are essential for strengthening the healing wound. A key deficiency disease that causes poor healing of wounds is scurvy, caused by a severe lack of vitamin C, which impairs collagen synthesis crucial for tissue repair.

While most people associate pellagra with a direct niacin deficiency, medical experts confirm that insufficient levels of tryptophan can also be a root cause. This is because the body has a unique metabolic pathway to convert the essential amino acid tryptophan into niacin (vitamin B3), meaning a deficit in one can trigger a deficiency in the other.

According to the World Health Organization, vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness globally. Understanding such preventable health issues is crucial, which is why we will explore what are 12 examples of deficiency diseases and their impacts on the body.

The body requires dietary fat to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. A deficiency in this essential macronutrient can disrupt numerous physiological functions, leading to a host of health problems. Understanding what diseases are caused by lack of fat is crucial for maintaining overall well-being and a balanced diet.