Hyderabad doctor shares how 22-year-old’s ‘mysterious' symptoms were actually caused by a dangerous vitamin deficiency

Vitamin deficiencies may seem minor, but they can mimic serious heart and nerve diseases. Doctor shares a case where hidden deficiency caused alarming symptoms.

Vitamin deficiencies are often dismissed as minor health issues, but in some cases, they can present with symptoms that closely mimic serious neurological or cardiac diseases. Dr Sudhir Kumar, neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, recently highlighted one such case on X (formerly Twitter) in a January 15 post, involving a 22-year-old man whose alarming symptoms were eventually traced back to a hidden vitamin deficiency.

What symptoms raised concern in this young patient

A case of a 22-year-old man with thiamine deficiency highlights that vitamin deficiencies can mimic serious health issues. (Freepik)

“A 22-year-old man walked into my clinic with a troubling mix of symptoms,” recalls Dr Sudhir. “He complained of fatigue, weakness, tingling sensations, poor exercise tolerance, along with cardiovascular symptoms like palpitations and breathlessness. He also had persistent gut issues, mainly diarrhoea.”

What made the case especially puzzling was that nothing appeared abnormal on paper. “He had already undergone multiple evaluations. Blood tests, cardiac work-ups, and neurological investigations were reported as normal,” Dr Kumar explains. “He was young, did not consume alcohol, and had never undergone gut surgery. Yet his symptoms were worsening despite reassurance.”

Something, he says, didn’t add up. “A careful clinical review raised a possibility that is often overlooked today, could this be thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency?”

Treatment was initiated without delay, and the response was dramatic. “Over the next few weeks, his neurological and cardiovascular symptoms improved significantly. His energy returned, palpitations settled, and the mental fog lifted,” Dr Kumar notes.

However, one crucial question remained unanswered. “Why was a young, non-alcoholic man thiamine-deficient?” he asks.

A focused gastroenterology evaluation eventually revealed the cause. “He had an underlying gut disorder leading to malabsorption, which caused chronic thiamine deficiency,” Dr Kumar explains. Once the root problem was addressed, the recovery was sustained.

The case, he says, could have ended very differently. “Untreated thiamine deficiency can lead to irreversible neurological damage, heart failure, or even death,” Dr Kumar warns. “Yet it remains one of the most underdiagnosed and easily treatable conditions in clinical practice.”

What can people learn from this case

Dr Kumar highlights a few important lessons from this case:

• Vitamin deficiencies are not rare, and they are not always related to alcohol consumption.
• Persistent fatigue, nerve symptoms, heart complaints, or chronic diarrhoea deserve thorough evaluation.
• Normal reports do not always mean that nothing is wrong.
• Nutrition and gut health matter far more than we often realise.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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