What is beriberi?

Beriberi is a disease caused by a vitamin B1 deficiency, also known as

thiamine deficiency. It often occurs in developing countries among people
with a diet that consists mostly of white rice or highly refined carbohydrates.
There are two types of the disease:

 wet beriberi
 dry beriberi
Wet beriberi affects the heart and circulatory system. In extreme cases, wet
beriberi can cause heart failure.
Dry beriberi damages the nerves and can lead to decreased muscle
strength and eventually muscle paralysis. Beriberi can be life threatening if
it isn’t treated.
If you have access to foods rich in thiamine, your chances of developing
beriberi are low. Today, in the United States, beriberi mostly occurs in
people with an alcohol use disorder and may also occur as a complication
of weight loss surgery.