Correct Option
Statement 1 is correct. Vitamin A is essential for the health and proper functioning of epithelial tissues, including those of the lachrymal (tear) glands. Deficiency of Vitamin A can lead to xerophthalmia (dry eyes) and eventually to the non-functioning of these glands, impairing tear production.
Statement 2 is correct. Deficiency of Vitamin B1 (thiamine) causes beriberi. Symptoms of beriberi include digestive issues such as indigestion and loss of appetite, muscular weakness, and in severe cases, particularly wet beriberi, it can lead to heart enlargement and heart failure.
Statement 3 is correct. Vitamin C deficiency results in scurvy. Key symptoms of scurvy include joint and muscle pain, fatigue, bleeding gums, and impaired wound healing due to its role in collagen synthesis.
Statement 4 is correct. Vitamin D is crucial for regulating calcium and phosphate homeostasis, primarily by enhancing intestinal absorption of calcium. Its deficiency leads to impaired calcium absorption and reabsorption in the kidneys, resulting in increased loss of Ca in urine. This contributes to conditions like rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
Incorrect Options
Options (a), (b), and (c) are incorrect because they omit one or more statements that are factually correct. Since all four statements (1, 2, 3, and 4) accurately describe symptoms or consequences of the respective vitamin deficiencies, the option encompassing all of them is the correct answer.