The term “beriberi” originates from the Sinhalese word for “weakness,” aptly describing the condition’s primary symptoms, which range from muscle wasting and weakness to severe cardiovascular issues. Beriberi was especially prevalent in 19th-century Asia, where polished white rice became a dietary staple. The polishing process stripped rice of its thiamine-rich husk, leading to widespread vitamin B1 deficiencies among populations reliant on rice as their primary food source. Symptoms were often mistakenly attributed to infections or genetic factors before the true cause was understood.
The breakthrough in understanding beriberi began with Dutch physician Christiaan Eijkman in the 1890s. While working in the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia), Eijkman noticed that chickens fed polished rice developed beriberi-like symptoms, while those fed unpolished rice remained healthy. His observation led him to theorize that an essential dietary component, present in rice husks, could prevent the disease. This discovery shifted scientific focus from mere caloric intake to the importance of specific nutrients.
Building on Eijkman’s findings, British biochemist Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins and Polish biochemist Casimir Funk made significant advancements in the early 20th century. Funk coined the term “vitamine” (later shortened to “vitamin”) and identified thiamine as the key factor in preventing beriberi. His work laid the groundwork for modern nutritional science and the understanding of deficiency diseases.
While beriberi is now rare in developed countries thanks to dietary improvements and food fortification, it persists in regions with limited food variety, such as parts of Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Alcoholism also increases beriberi risk since alcohol impedes thiamine absorption. The history of beriberi not only reveals the significance of balanced nutrition but also highlights the global importance of vitamin education and food security.
The Background and Identification of Beriberi
