High-Yield Vitamins: Deficiencies & Features
| Vitamin | High-Yield Clinical Correlation |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Night blindness is the earliest symptom; Bitot’s spots and keratomalacia follow. Essential for immune function. |
| Vitamin E | Posterior column/spinocerebellar tract degeneration mimics Friedreich ataxia. Hemolytic anemia in pre-term infants. |
| Vitamin K | Deficiency leads to bleeding diathesis due to a lack of factors II, VII, IX, and X. |
| Vitamin B Complex | B1: Beriberi/Wernicke-Korsakoff. B3: Pellagra (3Ds: Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia). B12: Subacute combined degeneration. |
| Vitamin C | Scurvy: Perifollicular hemorrhages, gum swelling, and corkscrew hairs. Impaired collagen hydroxylation. |
NEET PG Hint: For Vitamin A, remember the progression of ocular signs. For Vitamin K, always remember that neonates are at risk due to sterile gut flora and poor transplacental transfer. For B3 (Niacin), recall its precursor is Tryptophan.