Avitaminosis is any disease caused by chronic or long-term vitamin deficiency or caused by a defect in metabolic conversion, such as tryptophan to niacin. They are designated by the same letter as the vitamin.
| Vitamin deficiency | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Endocrinology  |
Conversely hypervitaminosis is the syndrome of symptoms caused by over-retention of fat-soluble vitamins in the body.
Types
Avitaminoses include
- vitamin A deficiency causes xerophthalmia or night blindness
- thiamine deficiency causes beriberi
- niacin deficiency causes pellagra
- vitamin B12 deficiency leads to megaloblastic anemia
- vitamin C deficiency leads to scurvy
- vitamin D deficiency causes rickets
- vitamin K deficiency causes impaired coagulation