Question

A diet deficient in thiamin may cause:

A. increased rate of cellular respiration

B. increase [pyruvate] in cells compared to patients with normal diet

C. increased rate of ATP production

D. increased triacylglycerol storage in adipose tissue

Answer 1

Thiamine Deficiency results in the deficiency of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) which in turn results in the elevated levels of serum lactate and pyruvate. The red blood cell transketolase activity is also reduced.

The enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase is inhibited when thiamine is deficient. This results in the accumulation of pyruvate.

Therefore, individuals with thiamine deficiency taking a thiamine-deficient diet have high levels of pyruvate in their blood in comparison to the patients consuming a normal diet.

Hence, option (B) is correct.