Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Thiamine is one of the B vitamins, also known as Vitamin B1. It's found in many foods, such as grains, nuts and meat products. You can get thiamine in a vitamin-B complex, which can also contain:

• Riboflavin (vitamin B2)

• Niacin (vitamin B3)

• Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)

• Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)

• Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12)

• Folic acid

Some vitamin-B complex supplements may contain all B vitamins, but most offer just thiamine, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin.

Food sources

Foods that contain vitamin B1 include:

• Peas

• Legumes

• Nuts and seeds

• Beef liver

• Pork meat and organs

• Egg

• Fortified/enriched food (cereals, rice, bread, flour and pasta)

You can also find thiamine in small doss in dairy products, fruits and vegetables. In order to get the recommended daily allowance, it's better to consume foods rich in vitamin B1.

Benefits

Thiamine supplementation is promoted primarily to treat or prevent deficiency. Health practitioners suggest using the vitamin for the treatement of various ailments, but studies haven't conclusively proven thiamine beneficial for combatting them.

Deficiency prevention

Thiamine deficiency causes inflammation of the nerves and cardiac problems. This set of disorders is called beriberi. There are two main types of thiamine deficiency and two disorders linked closely to low thiamine levels.

Dry Beriberi

Caused by vitamin B1 deficiency, dry beriberi effects the nervous system. The main symptom is peripheral neuropathy, which causes impaired reflexes and senses in the arms and legs and limited movment. In some cases, tingling or pain in the extremeties.

Wet beriberi

Another type of beriberi that involves the cardiovascular system, chronic wet beriberi occurs in three stages and eventually damages the heart. Acute (wet) beriberi, also known as Shoshin beriberi, can quickly damage the heart. If not treated immediately, it can cause death.

Other disorders

Wernicke's encephalopathy

A vitamin B1 deficiency caused by malabsorption problems in the small intestine, including severe alcoholism. Symptoms include leg tremors, abnormal eye movement (nystagmus), double vision and drooping eyelids.

Korsakoff syndrome

Wernicke's encephalopathy can damage the brain, especially the thalamus and hypothalamusis, if not treated. Symptoms include hallucinations, psychosis memory loss and an inability to form new memories.

Supportive therapy

Other benefits

These vitamin B1 benefits are not yet scientifically proven, but are currently under investigation:

• Help prevent kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes

• Help prevent cataracts

• May repel mosquitos

• Help prevent cervical cancer

• For the treatment of symptoms associate with HIV and AIDS

• Alcoholism

• May improve athletic performance

• Central nervous system problems

• Memory problems and Alzheimer's disease

• May improve digestive system ailments

Thiamine dosage

Because it's a water soluble vitamin, and excreted through the urine, the body needs to replenish thiamine every day.

Recommended daily allowance

Kids and teens:

• 0-6 months old - 0.2mg

• 7-12 months old - 0.3mg

• 1 to 3 years old - 0.5mg

• 4-8 years old - 0.6mg

• 9-13 years old - 0.9mg

• 14-18 years old (male) - 1.2mg

• 14-18 years old (female) - 1mg

Adults over the age of 18:

• Males - 1.2mg per day

• Females - 1.1mg per day

• Pregnant and lactating mothers - 1.4mg per day

vitamin b1 thiamine alcoholism

Dose is also determined by deficiency and medical status, by mouth or injection:

• Prevent deficiency – 0.2mg for infants to 3mg for adults per day

• Mild thiamine deficiency – 5mg per day

• Severe thiamine deficiency – 300mg per day

• Alcohol withdrawal - 100mg injection or intravenous as thiamine hydrochloride

• Alcohohlic liver disease - 100mg injection

• Comatose with unknown cause - 100mg injection

• Wernicke's-Korsakoff's syndrome - 100 to 300mg injection

• Prevention of cataracts – 10mg per day by mouth

Thiamine can be given via injection for people with Wernicke's-Korsakoff syndrome, severe deficiencies.

Side Effects

Thiamine is mostly safe when aken by mouth at the recommended dosages. Some side effects have been reported, such as allergic reactions and skin irritations.

Toxicity

Thiamine is non-toxic at up to 300mg per day. Since much of it is excreted through urine, the body typically stores just 30mg.

Most vitamin B1 supplements come in a 1mg capsule. In case of accidental thiamine overdose, the following signs and symptoms may occur:

• Headaches

• Body weakness

• Irregular heart beat

• Low blood pressure

If you suspect that you have overdosed on vitamin B1, call your physician, 911, or seek medical attention immediately.

Interactions

There are no known prescription drug interactions with thiamine. Before taking any supplement, be sure to consult with your doctor first.

Other interactions

Vitamin B1 may react with the following:

• Areca or betel nut: Consuming or chewing on areca or betel nuts may convert thiamine into a form that is hard for the body to absorb. Long term betel nut use may cause thiamine deficiency.

• Horsetail (equisetum): During digestion,a certain chemical in horsetail actively destroys thiamine in food and supplements. Some countries, like Canada, require the chemical to be removed from horsetail supplements. If you are at risk for vitamin B1 deficiency, avoid the herbal supplement.

  Food Interactions

Different foods can effect thiamine absorption.

• Tannins: The tannins in coffee and tea may convert vitamin B1 into a form that is difficult for the body to absorb. People who drink large amounts of tea, or those with low thiamine diets, are at risk for deficiency. Taking vitamin C may help prevent the vitamin B1 and tannin reaction.

• Seafood:

  Raw seafood, such as freshwater fish (salmon and tilapia) and shellfish (oysters and shrimp), contain chemicals that can destroy thiamine. Cooking these foods may destroy the chemicals.

• Alcohol: Heavy drinkers are at risk for severe thiamine deficiency. Chronic alcoholism, combined with low intake of dietary or supplemental thiamine, may place an individual at risk for Wernickes-Korsakoff syndrome.

References

1.Thiamine: Medline Plus https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/965.html

2.Thiamin: University of Maryland Medical Centerhttps://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/thiamin

3.Dr. Alan Steward "Acute Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Deficiency"https://www.stewartnutrition.co.uk/nutritional_emergencies/acute_thiamine_deficiency.html

4.Beriberi (Thiamine Deficiency) Medscapehttps://emedicine.medscape.com/article/116930-overview

5.Wernicke-Korsakoff syndromehttps://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000771.htm

6.Thiamine: WebMDhttps://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-965-THIAMINE%20(VITAMIN%20B1).aspx?activeIngredientId=965&activeIngredientName=THIAMINE%20(VITAMIN%20B1)

7.Thiamin: Merck Manualhttps://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/nutritional_disorders/vitamin_deficiency_dependency_and_toxicity/thiamin.html

8.B Vitamin Overdose Symptoms – Livestronghttps://www.livestrong.com/article/404634-b-vitamin-overdose-symptoms/