What is beriberi?
Q: What is beriberi?
A: Beriberi is a disease of the nervous system that occurs when a person does not get enough thiamine (vitamin B1) in their diet.
Q: What does thiamine do in the body?
A: Thiamine helps the body turn food into energy, and is also essential for good brain function, healthy liver, skin, hair, and eyes. It also helps the nervous system work properly.
Q: What are the symptoms of beriberi?
A: People with beriberi have severe lethargy and feel exhausted. Beriberi can also cause muscles to get weaker, making it hard for a person to do simple things. Some people with beriberi have heart problems or even die. It can also cause problems with the gastrointestinal system.
Q: Who is more likely to get beriberi?
A: People who drink a lot of alcohol and people who eat an unhealthy or unbalanced diet, like a diet of mostly white rice, are more likely to get beriberi.
Q: What are the two kinds of beriberi?
A: The two kinds of beriberi are wet and dry. Wet beriberi mainly affects the cardiovascular system, while dry beriberi affects the nervous system. There is also a rare type of genetic beriberi.
Q: Can a person get both types of beriberi at the same time?
A: Yes, most of the time, dry beriberi and wet beriberi happen at the same time in the same person. When this takes place, the victim is likely to only get the symptoms of one beriberi.
Q: How can beriberi be prevented?
A: Most people get enough vitamin B1 in their regular diet. To prevent beriberi, people should eat a balanced diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. For people who are at risk of deficiency, taking a thiamine supplement can also be helpful.
