Tag: Niacin deficiency

First described in the 18th century, Casal's necklace, or Casal's collar, is a distinctive red and hyperpigmented rash around the neck, serving as a tell-tale sign of pellagra, a severe nutritional disorder. Historically, it was named after the Spanish physician Don Gaspar Casal, who first identified the syndrome among the poor population in Spain in 1735.

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.

Pellagra, from the Italian for 'rough skin', is a nutritional disease that historically plagued populations with limited diets. It is defined as a systemic illness resulting from a severe deficiency of niacin (vitamin B3) or its precursor, tryptophan. While once epidemic, especially in the American South, the disease is now rare in developed countries but persists in regions with food insecurity.

Over three million cases of pellagra and 100,000 deaths were estimated in the Southern United States during an epidemic in the early 1900s. This severe nutritional disorder, caused by a deficiency of vitamin B3 (niacin) or its precursor tryptophan, is known as pellagra, the correct answer to the question posed.

Historically, pellagra was common in populations reliant on corn-based diets, which are low in absorbable niacin and tryptophan. While leucine does not directly cause the deficiency disease, research shows that excessively high dietary leucine can interfere with the body's ability to synthesize niacin from tryptophan, triggering or exacerbating pellagra under certain conditions.

First identified in the 18th century, the disease now known as pellagra was once endemic in parts of Europe and the American South. Pellagra is the name of the disease caused by vitamin B3 deficiency, which is also known as niacin deficiency. Left untreated, it can lead to severe and systemic health problems affecting the skin, digestive tract, and nervous system.

According to the NIH, severe niacin deficiency is extremely rare in developed countries but can cause a serious condition called pellagra. Understanding what are the symptoms of niacin is crucial, as they can stem from both a deficiency and an excessive intake, impacting the skin, digestion, and neurological function.

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 a study published in the journal *StatPearls*, severe niacin deficiency is known as pellagra, a condition that classically includes dermatitis as a core feature. A characteristic symptom of niacin deficiency is a photosensitive, reddish-brown rash that appears symmetrically on sun-exposed skin.

Historically, severe niacin deficiency affected millions in impoverished communities globally. Pellagra, caused by a lack of vitamin B3, is the systemic disease known for the classic symptoms of diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and if left untreated, death.