Deficiency diseases caused by lack of iron, protein, or certain vitamins can be treated by meeting daily nutritional needs. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, while protein deficiency can result in abnormal tissue growth. Lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy, B12 can cause pernicious anemia, and vitamin D can cause rickets and osteomalacia. Beriberi and pellagra are caused by lack of vitamin B1 and B3, respectively. These diseases can be prevented by consuming foods rich in the lacking nutrient.
Several types of deficiency diseases can be caused by insufficient intake and use of iron or protein, and there are other diseases that occur when a person’s diet is deficient or too low in a certain vitamin. Among the best known are beriberi, pellagra, pernicious anemia, scurvy, rickets, and osteomalacia. Generally, such diseases can be successfully treated and even cured by making sure that the body’s nutritional needs are met on a daily basis, unless a person is fasting.
An iron deficiency can occur if a person experiences significant blood loss, if a person has a diet low in this mineral, or if a person’s body has an impaired ability to absorb iron. A common form of anemia can generally be prevented by ingesting foods that are naturally high in iron, such as legumes, molasses, whole grains such as spelt, and leafy green vegetables, preferably those that have been grown organically. Certain groups of people, such as women of childbearing age, have a higher risk of suffering from iron deficiency. Symptoms of this condition include fatigue, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Protein deficiency diseases could be caused by a person’s inability to consume sufficient amounts of high-quality protein, resulting in abnormal tissue growth and maintenance. Wounds generally don’t heal as quickly as they should in these individuals.
Most people are aware that scurvy can develop if the diet lacks ascorbic acid or vitamin C. Eating fresh citrus fruits and a variety of organically grown fresh vegetables is all that is needed to prevent, treat, or cure scurvy, which it is rarely observed in industrialized nations. Pernicious anemia is a condition that can develop if a person’s diet is deficient in vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin. Vegans are at a significantly higher risk of developing pernicious anemia than people who eat meat and dairy products. Those who have insufficient amounts of the protein known as intrinsic factor can also develop pernicious anemia.
The deficiency diseases rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults can develop if they don’t get enough vitamin D, also called calciferol. Grains, fruits and vegetables are unfortunately poor sources of this nutrient, which can form in the skin when it is moderately exposed to sunlight. In some countries, such as the United States, milk is often fortified with vitamin D to help prevent these conditions.
Beriberi is a very serious disease that can quickly prove fatal in infants. It is caused by insufficient intake of vitamin B1 or thiamin. Rich food sources of this nutrient include brown rice, nuts and green leafy vegetables. In some countries, white rice is fortified with vitamin B1 to help prevent the development of beriberi.
Pellagra, a fatal disease, is caused by a diet deficient or deficient in vitamin B3 or niacin. Symptoms include diarrhea, depression, dermatitis, dementia and eventually death. This nutrient is abundantly supplied in whole grains, nuts, seeds, bananas, figs, prunes, potatoes and legumes. Diseases caused by a deficiency of a nutrient, fortunately, are usually simple to treat and cure by providing the body with the nutrients it needs to maintain vital life functions.
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