Question

Which one of the following diseases is caused by the deficiency of niacin:

• A. Anemia
• B. Night Blindness
• C. Pellagra
• D. Scurvy

Hint:

Remember the "3 Ds" of Pellagra (Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia) to identify niacin deficiency diseases. Niacin is crucial for energy metabolism and skin health.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding niacin and its role. Niacin, also known as Vitamin B3, is essential for the proper functioning of the body's metabolic processes. It plays a key role in energy production and the repair of DNA. 

Step 2: Niacin deficiency and Pellagra. Pellagra is caused by a deficiency of niacin or its precursor tryptophan. Symptoms of pellagra are commonly referred to as the "3 Ds": 
- Dermatitis (skin issues, especially in sun-exposed areas), 
- Diarrhea, 
- Dementia, and if untreated, it can lead to death.

 Step 3: Why other options are incorrect. - Anemia is caused by deficiencies in iron, Vitamin B12, or folate. - Night blindness is due to Vitamin A deficiency. - Scurvy results from a lack of Vitamin C.

Answer 2

The question asks which disease results from a lack of niacin in the diet. Let's match each option with the vitamin or mineral it is actually linked to.

1. Anemia: Anemia is most commonly tied to shortages of iron, vitamin B12, or folate, since these are needed to build healthy red blood cells. A lack of niacin does not directly cause this condition.
2. Night Blindness: Difficulty seeing in dim light is a classic sign of vitamin A deficiency, since vitamin A is needed to make the visual pigment rhodopsin in the retina. It is not connected to niacin.
3. Pellagra: Niacin, also called vitamin B3, is needed to make NAD and NADP, coenzymes used throughout the body's energy metabolism and DNA repair. When niacin or its amino acid precursor tryptophan is chronically lacking in the diet, the body develops pellagra, marked by skin inflammation, diarrhea, and mental confusion.
4. Scurvy: Scurvy comes from a lack of vitamin C, which the body needs to make collagen. It has no relationship to niacin intake.

Only pellagra is caused specifically by a shortfall of niacin, while the other three conditions trace back to entirely different nutrients.

So the correct answer is Pellagra.