Vitamin B1, or thiamine, was the first of a series of B vitamins to be discovered. It works side by side with a slew of other B vitamins to metabolize food and support almost all functions in your body. B1, in particular, plays important roles in normal brain health and function. Having a B1 deficiency can lead to numerous problems relating to neurological function.
How It Works
Vitamin B1 helps break down carbohydrates into sugar, also known as blood glucose, which is the primary source of energy for all cells. Blood glucose needs to fall into a certain range since too much or too little greatly affects brain function. You may feel tired, fatigued and unable to focus if your blood glucose falls too low. Vitamin B1 is essential for a variety of other biochemical reactions, including the synthesis of brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, which allow brain cells to function and communicate with one another. Lastly, vitamin B1 can help reduce or prevent oxidative stress throughout your body. Oxidative stress occurs when harmful free radicals react with healthy cells, causing permanent damage.
Issues With Deficiency
Vitamin B1 deficiency greatly impacts brain health and can lead to various types of dementia. The Linus Pauling Institute reports that having a B1, or thiamine, deficiency is a common factor in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. One problem in Alzheimer's is a decreased function of ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and transketolase, two enzymes that rely on B1 for metabolism of glucose. Without adequate function of these enzymes, your brain cells may not be getting the glucose they need to function, leading to an increased risk of dementia.
Alcoholism and Brain Function
Years of alcoholism and binge drinking affect your body's ability to absorb vitamin B1, or thiamine, leading to a B1 deficiency. For thiamine to function, it must cross membranes in the small intestine. After years of alcohol abuse, cells in the gastrointestinal tract are damaged and you may not be able to absorb this vitamin efficiently, leading to problems with brain health and normal function. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a thiamine deficiency affecting brain health and is commonly related to alcoholism, but can also be associated with poor absorption. In Wernicke encephalopathy, the lower parts of your brain, the thalamus and hypothalamus, are damaged causing confusion, poor muscle coordination and vision problems. Korsakoff syndrome, on the other hand, is a type of psychosis in which parts of the brain responsible for memory are damaged. This syndrome tends to develop as Wernicke symptoms diminish and leads to chronic hallucinations, loss of long-term memory and inability to retain information, explains the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Dosage and Food Sources
Women need 1.1 mg of B1 daily, while men need a slightly larger amount, 1.2 mg. Since thiamine, or B1, plays so many important roles in your body, especially in your brain, your doctor may suggest taking a dietary supplement if your diet is lacking in B vitamins. Taking a multivitamin or vitamin B-complex often provides all of the B1 you need. Additionally, you can get adequate B1 from a variety of foods, including lentils, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, fortified breakfast cereal, pecans, pork, spinach and almonds.
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