Their deficiency has long been recognised as a possible cause of the appearance of symptoms of damage to both the peripheral and central nervous system.

Vitamin B1 deficiency

The daily requirement for vitamin B1 is approximately 1.5-3 mg. In the case of its deficiency, especially long-term deficiency, pathologies of the nervous system appear called Vernicke-Korsakov Syndrome and beri-beri disease.

Symptoms of vitamin B1 defic iency may appear in malabsorption syndromes, pyloric stenosis, after gastroectomy, in ulcerative colitis, alcoholic disease and reduced vitamin B1 supplementation mainly in depressive syndromes and eating disorders.

Symptoms involve the peripheral nervous system. These include parasthesias, tenderness, persistent lower limb cramps and sensory disturbances. As the disease progresses, muscle strength is weakened.

Clinical diagnosis can be based on the determination of serum vitamin B1 levels or the amount of vitamin excreted in the urine.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

The neurological symptoms characteristic of this syndrome appear abruptly. Causes of vitamin B1 deficiency include alcoholism, intractable vomiting, dialysis treatments, prolonged parenteral nutrition and pathological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract causing malabsorption.

Symptoms of this syndrome are divided into neurological and pscyhiatric.

The neurological symptoms of Wernicke-Korshau syndrome are mainly eye movement disorders, pupil irregularity and poor reaction to light, and gait disorders, while the psychiatric part of the syndrome includes an amnestic syndrome with memory and self-orientation disorders.

Tests to confirm vitamin deficiency as in beri-beri disease include determination of serum vitamin concentrations.

photo ojoimages

Vitamin B12 deficiency

The daily requirement for vitamin B12 is approximately 5mg. It is mainly contained in meat foods. The causes of its deficiency can be manifold, the most common being:

• diseases of the stomach, such as cancer or mucositis
• diseases of the small intestine
• malabsorption
• dietary errors, vegetarianism - parasites
• parasites
• effects of certain medications

Vitamin deficiency is manifested by weakness, numbness in the feet and hands. With time, additional sensory disturbances of movement, pressure touch, pain and temperature also appear, as well as weakness of the lower limbs, sphincters and a significant deterioration of vision.