Other Names:
B Vitamin Deficiency

Symptoms:
Depression, anxiety, dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, loss of appetite, red tongue that is sore and inflamed, weakness, weight loss, dementia, and itchy skin on the hands and neck.

It is sometimes diagnosed as mental illness.

Cause:
Pellagra is a deficiency disease, caused by a severe lack of several vitamins. It is rare in the United States at this time; but, when it does occur, it is caused by diseases which heavily deplete those vitamins.

The primary vitamins involved are niacin (vitamin B3) and, secondarily, thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2). Also needed is folic acid and vitamin B12.

Treatment:
• Eat plenty of foods high in the B vitamins and take nutritional supplements.

• Worthwhile foods would include potatoes, legumes, broccoli, collards, bananas, figs, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, tomatoes, prunes, and whole grain breads and cereals.