General Information About Beriberi Disease
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a disease that impairs nerve and heart functions, resulting from a severe deficiency of vitamin B1 (Thiamine), which is vital for cells to produce energy from carbohydrates.
Dry beriberi affects the peripheral nervous system, causing numbness, muscle wasting, and paralysis in the legs. Wet beriberi affects the cardiovascular system; it presents with heart enlargement, palpitations, and edema in the body.
Unbalanced nutrition, a diet predominantly of white rice or carbohydrates, chronic alcohol addiction (alcohol impairs B1 absorption), and malabsorption diseases in the gastrointestinal tract are the main causes.
If vitamin B1 deficiency hits the brain tissue, a very severe neurological picture called Wernicke-Korsakoff develops, progressing with confusion, severe memory loss, and limited eye movements.
In addition to examining clinical symptoms (nutrition/alcohol history), a definitive diagnosis is made by measuring vitamin B1 (thiamine) levels in the blood and checking lactic acid levels in the blood.
If permanent organ damage has not occurred, treatment is quite simple. When high-dose thiamine (vitamin B1) supplements are given intravenously or orally, symptoms rapidly improve within a few days.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
