1. The First B Vitamin
Thiamin, or thiamine, was the first B vitamin that was ever discovered, which is why it is known as Vitamin B1. A severe Vitamin B1 deficiency results in a condition known as "beriberi," which was relatively common in sailors and in people in prisons in the late 1890s because these people were fed a diet of mostly white rice. At first scientists thought that the disease was caused by a toxin in the rice, but then they discovered that it was actually a nutritional deficiency. Beriberi results in muscle wasting, mental confusion, high blood pressure, fluid retention, heart disturbances and difficulty walking. By studying people who suffered from this condition, nutritionists learned the importance of eating whole grains rather than polished grains like white rice.
2. Vitamin B1 Has Many Dietary Sources
Sunflower seeds, soybeans, brown rice and peanuts are good sources of Vitamin B1. So are whole wheat and nuts. Other sources include brewer's yeast, beef, milk, oranges, pork, whole grain cereals, and yeast. Today, white flour and white rice are often fortified with thiamin. Thiamin is a sensitive vitamin, and it can be destroyed by alcohol, coffee or black tea.
3. Alcoholics and the Elderly are at Risk
Today, it is unusual for people to have a severe thiamin deficiency, except in the case of an alcoholic. However, elderly people in nursing homes often do not receive enough thiamin and can suffer from a mild deficiency. It can also occur in people who rely on white rice for a major part of their diet. A mild deficiency can result in depression, fatigue, constipation, and a pins-and-needles feeling in the legs.
4. Thiamin Helps the Brain
Thiamin has been found to improve mental function in people with epilepsy who are taking Dilantin. It has also been found to improve mental function in patients with Alzheimer's disease and age-related senility. Thiamin is so important in mental function; in fact, almost one in three people who enter psychiatric wards have a thiamin deficiency.
5. It's Difficult to Get Too Much B1
It is difficult to take too much thiamin--even at doses as high as 500 mg per day there are no reports of toxicity. It is a water-soluble vitamin, so it is not stored in tissues. People with maple sugar urine disease (MSUD) are often treated with extremely high doses of this vitamin, and alcoholics often receive Vitamin B1 at high doses intravenously.
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