Question

Which disease is caused due to the prolonged deficiency of nicotinic acid?
A. Pellagra
B. Rickets
C. Scurvy
D. Beri-Beri

Answer 1

Hint: Vitamin B3 is also known as nicotinic acid. Vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid is essential for the working of cellular metabolism.

Complete Answer:
- Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient.
- Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variety of whole and processed foods, with highest contents in fortified packaged foods, meat, poultry, red fish such as tuna and salmon, lesser amounts in nuts, legumes and seeds.
- Niacin as a dietary supplement is used to treat pellagra, a disease caused by niacin deficiency. nicotinic acid is a water soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in food. It can improve the blood fats.
- It works by decreasing the amount of bad cholesterol and triglycerides made by the liver. It has the effect on skin that causes the skin to be scaly, pigmented and irritated in diarrhoea. These are some of the symptoms of Pellagra.
- The deficiency of vitamin D leads to rickets, vitamin C leads to Scurvy and vitamin B1 will lead to Beri-beri.

Thus the correct answer is option A.

Note: Vitamin B3 is used to reduce the cholesterol levels in the body thus decreasing the risk of heart diseases. The sources of vitamin B3 include Lean chicken breast, Lean pork chops, beef, brown rice, peanuts.