Beriberi, White Rice, and Vitamin B: A Disease, a Cause, and a Cure

An extensive historical and scientific overview of the disease beriberi, tracing its recognition as "The National Disease of Japan" and the lengthy, multi-national efforts to determine its cause and cure. Early theories ranged from miasma and bacterial infection to various dietary factors, with evidence emerging from observational studies in prisons, navies, and mental hospitals across Southeast Asia and other regions like Newfoundland. Crucial experimental work with chickens and rice diets in the Dutch East Indies led to the realization that the disease was a nutritional deficiency linked to the consumption of polished white rice and preventable by rice bran or undermilled rice. Ultimately, this work led to the isolation and chemical synthesis of thiamin (vitamin B1), establishing its vital role in carbohydrate metabolism and paving the way for public health interventions like food enrichment to eradicate the disease.You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:https://linktr.ee/pharmacy_simpleProduced by:https://www.podcaistudio.com/