Production of Vitamin Deficiencies

1) Coliform organisms have the proven ability to synthesize a number of vitamins (25). 

2) The administration of sulfonamides to rats causes a reduction in the number of these organisms in the animals gastro-intestinal tracts (97). 

3) This reduction in the number of coliform organisms is accompanied by a diminution in the intestinal synthesis of various vitamins (as measured by the amounts found in feces) 

4) This is followed by the appearance in the host animals of deficiency diseases. Among these diseases are several which arc curable by vitamins which have been shown to be present in the feces in diminished amounts. Examples vitamin K (34), biotin (36), L. casei factor (87). 

5) p- Aminobenzoic acid, which inhibits the bacteriostatiQ action of sulfonamides, also prevents the development of vitamin deficiencies in the animals receiving these drugs (34, 99). 

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Loss of weight and its concomitants, loss of strength, performance, and growth, are not the only effects of parasites on their hosts that can be related to nutrition. At least two parasites cause anemia of a characteristic kind. Hookworms, both in men and some animals, cause a microcytic, hypochromic anemia of the iron-deficiency type the tapeworm Diphyllobothrium latum causes in man a macrocytic, megaloblastic anemia. The plasmodia of malaria are probably the most widespread parasites that cause anemia, but it is very doubtful if this type of anemia can be regarded as nutritional. There is also some evidence suggesting that some infestations may at least contribute to the production of vitamin deficiencies. 

It ill be noted from the foregoing that the direct evidence is almost but not quite complete for the production of vitamin deficiencies through the anti-bacterial activity of the sulfonamides. It can hardly be denied that the sulfonamides do inhibit vitamin synthesis by intestinal bacteria. It seems almost certain also that this synthesis would have benefited the host animals. Finally, the inhibition of synthesis was followed by the appearance of vitamin deficiencies. We cannot. say with certainty, however, that the inhibition caused the deficiencies to appear. It is conceivable that some other effect of the sulfonamides is the critical factor or at least a contributory one. It may be necessary to reduce or eliminate the bacterial population in the intestines by a method other than the action of drugs in order to settle this point to our complete sati,sfaction. 

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