Question

A deficiency of which vitamin causes signs and symptoms characterized by the four Ds: dermatitis, dementia, diarrhea, and death?

Answer 1

The deficiency of vitamin B3 or niacin can lead to pellagra, which presents the four D's: Dermatitis, Dementia, Diarrhea, and Death.

Step-by-step explanation:

The deficiency of vitamin B3 or niacin leads to a condition known as pellagra, which is characterized by a series of symptoms referred to as the four D’s: Dermatitis, Dementia, Diarrhea, and if left untreated, it can progress to Death. These symptoms represent a severe manifestation of niacin deficiency and reflect its broad role in the body, including in skin health, the nervous system, and the gastrointestinal tract. Pellagra was historically a common disease in areas where the diet was heavily based on corn, which lacks adequate niacin and tryptophan that the body can convert into niacin unless it's treated with alkaline.