disorders of nutrition
Niacin Deficiency
Causes ofNiacinDeficiency
One form ofniacindeficiency results from a deficiency ofniacinandtryptophan(an amino acid). This form causes a disorder called pellagra, which affects the skin, digestive tract, and brain. Pellagra develops only if the diet is deficient inniacinandtryptophanbecause the body can converttryptophantoniacin. People who live in areas where maize (Indian corn) is the main food source are at risk of developing pellagra because maize is low inniacinandtryptophan. Furthermore, theniacinin maize cannot be absorbed in the intestine unless the maize is treated with alkali (as it is when tortillas are prepared). Pellagra may be a seasonal disorder, appearing each spring and lasting through the summer, when the diet consists mainly of maize products. Pellagra also develops in people who have one of the following: , a rare hereditary disorder in which absorption of Carcinoid Tumors and Carcinoid Syndrome , a rare disorder in which The following can lead to a deficiency ofniacin: Alcohol Use None Diarrhea in Adults None Cirrhosis of the Liver None The antibioticisoniazidif taken for a long time 