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Beriberi is caused by thiamine deficiency. Also known as vitamin B1, thiamine is a crucial water-soluble vitamin involved in many chemical reactions in the body. And so, its shortage can cause several health concerns.
Typical thiaminefunctions include:
Helping convert carbohydrates into usable energy.
Supporting heart muscles and regulating their functions.
Helping conduct nerve signals.
Aiding muscle contraction.
Since the body can't function properly without adequate thiamine, its shortage for extended periods can cause negative effects on the heart, immune, and, nervous systems.
Thiamine deficiency is rare in modern societies like America – with ample food and supplements. But beriberi may not be just a thiamine deficiency in the diet. Instead, it may be a result of certain health conditions.
There are two types of beriberi, i.e. wet beriberi and dry beriberi. Wet beriberi affects the cardiovascular system and can lead to death in extreme cases. Meanwhile, dry beriberi damages the nervous system. It can cause muscles to weaken and eventually cause muscle paralysis.
Thesymptoms of wet and dry beriberi are as follows.
Waking up at night feeling short of breath
Fast heart rate
Shortness of breath when active
Lower leg edema (swelling)
Struggling to walk
Loss of feeling or tingling in hands and feet
Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs
Mental confusion
Pain
Speech difficulties
Involuntary eye movements
Vomiting
It is challenging to diagnose beriberi because the symptoms are either vague or too similar to other health conditions. And so, only a trained medical professional can diagnose you properly.
The main cause of beriberi is a diet lacking in thiamine. The disease seldom occurs in modern societies where access to food is not a problem. It is more common in regions where peoplesubsist mainly on refined rice and flour.
Beriberi can also be the result of certain health conditions that increase a person’s risk of developing the condition.
People who follow a balanced diet are at low risk of developing beriberi. But the risk of developing beriberi is high for the following:
People with excessive alcohol intake as alcohol hinders thiamine absorption by the body.
Breastfed babies whose mothers are thiamine-deficient
People born without the ability to absorb thiamine
Following a high-carbohydrate diet consisting of refined carbs
People with hyperthyroidism it can prevent thiamine absorption
Losing the ability to absorb thiamine from aging
Bariatric surgery for weight loss
Diabetes
HIV/AIDS
Stress
Kidney disease
Poor diet or starvation
The best way to treat beriberi is to start following a balanced diet that contains food rich in vitamin B1. Since vitamin B1 is an essential nutrient, the body cannot make it. That’s why we need to get it from our diet.
How much do you need? TheRecommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin B1 for adults aged 19 years or above is 1.2 milligrams (mg) for males and 1.1 mg for females. Pregnant women and breastfeeding moms must increase their intake to 1.4 mg per day.
Pork is a natural source of vitamin B1, providing almost half your needs in a 100-gram serving. Pork is also a source ofother B vitamins, including B2, B3, B6, B9, and B12. Pork chops also contain several essential minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and selenium.
Salmon is a good source of all the B vitamins. A 100-g serving of cooked wild Atlantic salmon has0.28 mg of vitamin B1. Salmon is a super healthy food, containing essential fatty acids, vitamin A, and numerous minerals, including calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and selenium.
Black beans are highly nutritious. In addition to thiamine, they also contain vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K. They are also high in essential minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and selenium.
A 185-g serving of canned black beans contains0.348 mg of vitamin B1.
Millions of people eat rice every day but few eat brown rice. White, polished rice is devoid of many nutrients and contains mainly carbohydrates. On the other hand, unpolished rice is a nutrient-dense food.
A 100 g serving of cooked brown rice contains0.360 mg of vitamin B1 – about 30 % of RDA (recommended daily allowance). Brown rice contains vitamins B2, B3, B6, B9, E, and K. In addition to a long list of essential minerals. But that's not all; brown rice is also a good source of protein. Brown rice and legumes combined provide a complete protein.
Sunflower seeds are another nutrient-dense food, containing numerous vitamins, beta-carotene, and essential minerals. A cup of sunflower seeds provides a whopping57% (0.681mg) of thiamine.
Cooked frozen green peas also contain vitamins B2, B3, B6, B9, C, E, and K, as well as these essential minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, and selenium. A half cup of cooked frozen peas contains0.226 mg of vitamin B1.
Pecans are high in vitamin B1. One cup of chopped pecans provides0.719 mg (60% of RDA). Pecans also contain numerous other vitamins, including vitamins B2, B3, B6, C, E, and K; folate; and beta carotene. They are also rich in essential minerals and contain calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium.
Government initiatives to improve nutrition and prevent thiamine deficiency include the enrichment of certain foods with vitamin B1. People who have been diagnosed with beriberi can benefit from including these foods in their diets.
Food enriched with vitamins usually displays the words "enriched with" or "fortified with." These foods include breakfast cereals, white rice, white bread, white flour, pasta, and cornmeal.
Of course, the better option would be to eat the original foods that have not had their nutrients removed in the first place. People with a thiamine deficiency would benefit from eating brown rice, whole wheat products, cereals prepared with whole grains, whole wheat pasta, and unpolished cornmeal.
Thiamine deficiency can conveniently be treated with dietary supplements. Most multivitamins or mineral supplements provide at least 1.5 mg of thiamine. A general vitamin B supplement will also contain thiamine.
If you’ve been diagnosed with beri beri, medical professionals would suggest you limitfoods that contain thiaminases. Thiaminases are enzymes that destroy thiamine or prevent its uptake. These foods include tea, coffee, raw fish, shellfish, and processed foods, such as white rice and white flour.
White rice and white flour are low in thiamine because processing removes many nutrients.
Also, avoid foods that contain sulfites such as dried fruits, wine, beer, processed meats, canned foods, and certain condiments. Manufacturers in the food industry add sulfites to food to extend shelf life and prevent discoloration. High sulfite levels destroy thiamine.
Since alcohol interferes with thiamine absorption, it's wise to reduce alcohol intake if you’re vitamin B1 deficient. After all, this reduced alcohol intake will give your body better odds of benefiting from whatever vitamin B1 source you ingest.
Thiamine is destroyed when food is cooked at high temperatures or for long. Thiamine is water-soluble, so it leaches into water. When you throw cooking or soaking water away, you also throw thiamine away.
If you’re thiamine deficient, here are a few habits to follow to avoid thiamine loss:
Cook food for a short time at low temperatures when applicable.
Steam or sauté rather than boiling for long periods.
Since thiamine dissolves in water, use little water, or steam food.
Don't throw water away that you used to cook vegetables and beans – use it in soups or sauces the benefit from the nutrients.
Reheat food only once and gently, because repeated heating can degrade thiamine.
Yes, protein powders are generally safe and compatible with Vitamin B1 supplements. Thiamine is a water-soluble B vitamin that plays a crucial role in metabolism and energy production, and it's unlikely to interfere with protein powder intake or vice versa.
Beriberi is a condition that arises due to inadequate intake of vitamin B1. If you are diagnosed with a vitamin B1 deficiency, you can reverse the situation by including food high in this nutrient and by adjusting your cooking methods. You can also try vitamin B1 or general vitamin supplements.
Don't take the diagnosis lightly, though. If ignored, it can develop into beriberi, and if you leave that untreated, it can culminate into Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which is a serious brain disorder.