Vitamin B1

Thiamine 

Food Sources of Vitamin B1:

Vitamin B1 is found in a large variety of animal and vegetable sources, but in most of these sources the vitamin is present in relatively low amounts. It is present in  relatively large amounts in pork and organ meats, whole grains, brewer's yeast and Vegemite .It is a water soluble vitamin which acts as a coenzyme in the complex process of converting glucose into energy, as well as playing a vital role in other metabolic reactions. Because Vitamin B1 is water soluble it is not stored in the body, which therefore leads to a constant requirement for replacement. The requirement for vitamin B1 is proportional to the amount of energy consumed.

What Vitamin B1 does:

Vitamin B1 plays a vital role in helping to maintain the health of the nervous system, growth, appetite, gastro-intestinal tone, digestion, energy production, neutrophil motility, pyruvate metabolism, acetyl-choline synthesis, and sugar metabolism.

Vitamin B1 deficiency symptoms:

A deficiency of Vitamin B1 results in a deterioration of both heart and skeletal function as well as brain and nerve function. The  signs of Vitamin B1 deficiency include fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, anti social behavior, inability to concentrate, retarded growth, beriberi, fluid retention, gut disorders, glaucoma, insomnia, muscle weakness, and shortness of breath.

Vitamin B1 absorption:

The absorption of vitamin B1 in the diet requires the presence of folic acid, a deficiency of folate will result in a deficiency of B-1. The consumption of excessive amounts of sugar results in loss of vitamin B1, smoking, eating raw clams, oysters and raw fish also causes loss of vitamin B1, however cooked seafood is a good source of this vitamin. Other substances which destroy vitamin B1 are to be found in coffee, tea, spinach, cabbage, blackberries, blackcurrants, and red beets.

Loss of Vitamin B1:

Vitamin B1 loss occurs on exposure to  heat and light,  the roasting of meat, milling of flour, bread baking, vegetable cooking, and the addition of sulfur dioxide, or  to foods results in loss of vitamin B1. Although it is readily available in many foods, cooking and processing cause considerable loss.

Drugs which cause loss of vitamin B1 include:

Diuretics, contraceptives, antibiotics, sulpha drugs, anti-cancer drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Dosage and toxicity:

The body's requirement for vitamin B1 is dependent on calorie intake, this is particularly related to carbohydrates, and the amount of energy expended. The requirement for this vitamin is increased during pregnancy and lactation, heavy alcohol consumption, fever, hyperthyroidism, liver diseases, and other diseases which interfere with digestion and assimililation. The RDA is set at 1mg for every 1000 calories consumed, however, as can be seen the dose will vary considerably for vitamin B1 according to the numerous factors involved in the life, age, health and diet of the individual.

Read more:Vitamin B2 Riboflavin 

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