Final answer:
Carcinoid syndrome is a condition characterized by symptoms such as flushing, secretory diarrhea, bronchospasm/wheezing, and cardiac valve abnormalities. It is caused by neuroendocrine tumors called carcinoid tumors that secrete excessive amounts of substances like serotonin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The symptoms described in the question, including episodic flushing, secretory diarrhea, bronchospasm/wheezing, and cardiac valve abnormalities, are characteristic of a condition called carcinoid syndrome. Carcinoid syndrome is caused by the secretion of certain substances, including serotonin, by neuroendocrine tumors known as carcinoid tumors.
These tumors usually originate in the gastrointestinal tract and can spread to other organs. The release of serotonin and other substances into the bloodstream can cause various symptoms throughout the body.
In the case of carcinoid syndrome, the deficiency is not in a specific nutrient, but rather the result of an abnormal growth of tumors that secrete excessive amounts of serotonin and other substances.