Question

The disease beriberi is caused by a deficiency of thiamine in the diet. Why is this disease often associated with metabolic acidosis and neurological disorders?

Answer 1

Dry beriberi causes wasting and partial paralysis resulting from damaged peripheral nerves. It is also referred to as endemic neuritis.

Gastrointestinal beriberi causes abdominal pain. Gastrointestinal beriberi is characterized by:

• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Lactic acidosis

Thyamine deficiency may increase the amount of lactic acid and pyruvic acid within the blood.

This leads to lactic acidosis and the increased production of pyruvic acid may affect citric acid cycle.

Reason behind:

Thiamine in the human body has a half-life of 18 days and is quickly exhausted, particularly when metabolic demands exceed intake. A derivative of thiamine, thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), is a cofactor involved in the citric acid cycle, as well as connecting the breakdown of sugars with the citric acid cycle. The citric acid cycle is a central metabolic pathway involved in the regulation of carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, and its disruption due to thiamine deficiency inhibits the production of many molecules including the neurotransmitters glutamic acid and GABA. Additionally thiamine may also be directly involved in neuromodulation.Thus Beriberi is often associated with metabolic acidosis and neurological disorders