Facts on Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin. It was the first B vitamin to be recognized and one of the first organic compounds to be identified as a vitamin. Thiamine is involved with many chemical reactions in the body and plays a critical role in the energy metabolism of all cells.

Function

Vitamin B1 plays an essential role in converting carbohydrates into energy. Thiamine is also involved in numerous body functions including nervous system and muscle functioning; flow of electrolytes in and out of nerve and muscle cells; multiple enzyme processes; and production of hydrochloric acid which is necessary for proper digestion, according to Medline Plus, a service of NIH.

Sources

Vitamin B1 is widely distributed in many nutritious foods, but mostly occurs in small amounts. Sources richest in the vitamin are liver and yeasts. Fortified grain items such as cereals, bread, pasta, rice and tortillas provide the most important sources of thiamine in the human diet. Many grain products in the United States are supplemented with thiamine as well as other B vitamins because the vitamins are lost during refinement. Additionally, lean meats, fish, sunflower seeds, peas and legumes are extremely rich in thiamine. Dairy products, fruits, and vegetables are typically not ideal sources of vitamin B1, but when consumed in large quantities they become a significant source, according to Medline Plus.

Dietary Reference Intake

If you regularly eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet each day, you will easily meet your thiamine needs. According to the USDA's report on thiamine, the recommended dietary allowance for males is 1.2 mg/day and 1.1 mg/day for women. The dietary reference intake ranges from 0.2-1.4 mg/day, depending on age and gender and other factors such as pregnancy.

Deficiency

Early stages of thiamine deficiency do not have specific symptoms and may easily be overlooked or misinterpreted. Once it becomes more severe, the USDA reports that clinical symptoms of deficiency include anorexia, weight loss, mental changes such as apathy, decrease in short-term memory, confusion, irritability, muscle weakness and cardiovascular effects such as an enlarged heart. The classic thiamine deficiency disease is Beriberi which is characterized by loss of sensation in the hands and feet, muscular weakness, advancing paralysis and abnormal heart action.

Alcohol Abuse

In recent years, thiamine deficiency has most commonly been seen in developed countries in association with chronic alcoholism and limited food consumption in the form of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Increased alcohol intake makes it difficult to absorb the vitamin from foods. Thiamine is required for the metabolism and detoxification of alcohol, so those with alcoholism require a greater intake, according to Mahan's "Food and Nutrition Therapy." Symptoms of the Wernicke-Korsakoff range from gaps in memory to mild confusion or even coma.