Nutrition in the 1800’s

Decades ago, as I began to study nutrition, I learned that century old diseases like Beriberi, Pellagra and Scurvy were “nutrient deficiency” diseases. Simply supplement with the proper nutrient and the disease would disappear. It all sounded so scientific and simple. But the more I studied about the ability of fungi and their poisonous byproducts (mycotoxins), the more I began realizing that replenishing nutrient deficiencies may be just scratching the surface of the real cause of these illnesses.

- - For example, beriberi is caused by thiamine deficiency. Yet, according to the 3 WHO physicians who worked in Mycology (the study of fungus), vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is a anti-mycotoxin and since mycotoxins are exclusively made by fungi, that would make vitamin B1 antifungal!
  - Another example is that vitamin B3 (Niacin) deficiency causes a disease called, Pellagra. It certainly might, but according to a study released a dozen years ago, (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708141617.htm) vitamin B3 also has antifungal properties.
  - Finally, as every good nutrition teacher and student will be proud to report, Scurvy is a disease caused by vitamin C deficiencies. It’s cure 300 years ago, was found to be lime juice, not vitamin C. There is a difference. Vitamin C actually decreases the potency of antifungal drugs and therefore likely does not have true antifungal properties, but lime juice has demonstrated antifungal properties (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/304448#benefitungal properties). Mind you, in 1722, those suffering from Scurvy couldn’t drive to the vitamin shop and get a bottle of vitamin C, so lime juice was used, and it did cure Scurvy. But why did it work so well?

Might Beriberi, Pellagra and Scurvy be fungal diseases that responded favorably to antifungal nutrients like Vitamin B1 and B3 and lime juice? RIDICULOUS, say nutritional authorities, but it does get you thinking what I so often think; IS EVERYTHING FUNGUS?

Telling the Truth in Nutrition

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