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Beriberi is a condition that occurs when the body does not receive enough thiamine (vitamin B1) over a prolonged period of time. Translated from Sri Lankan, beriberi means “I can’t, I can’t,” reflecting the often incapacitating nature of this condition.
This condition led to the discovery of thiamine in the 1920s. Scientists researching the cause of beriberi identified thiamine as a water-soluble vitamin essential for many of the body’s systems. It is found on the myelin sheath of nerve cells, a vital part of the cell that helps conduct nerve signals be tween cells and muscles. Each cell depends on thiamine as part of thiamin pyrophosphate, an enzyme involved in metabolism. Thiamine also plays a role in the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, making chemical digestion of food possible. Without thiamine, the body is unable to function.
Unlike vitamins stored in fat tissues, water-soluble vitamins like thiamine quickly pass through the body. Without the proper dietary intake, thiamine deficiency can occur within 14 days to a month. In children, insufficient thiamine may result in learning difficulties later in life. Chronic deficiency at any age may affect the heart, muscles, gastrointestinal or nervous systems, leading to serious health implications. If untreated, beriberi can be fatal.
Since the discovery that beriberi is the body’s response to prolonged thiamine deficiency, dietary improvements have reduced the occurrence of severe cases of the disease. It is most common in Indonesia and other areas where processed white rice is the primary basis of the diet. Cases that occur in Western countries are often in conjunction with alcohol abuse, malnourishment, chronic medical conditions and long-term medical treatment. | 
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