Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Benefits and where to find it

What is vitamin B1?

Vitamin B1 also known as Thiamin is one of the water-soluble vitamins important for the natural performance of the body, it is not produced by it, it is only absorbed through food such as meat and our body can accumulate up to 20 days of Thiamine.

It was the first B complex vitamin to be identified in 926 when Jansen and Donath first isolated and crystallized thiamine from rice bran. Its chemical composition and synthesis was finally reported by Robert Williams in 1936 and finally in 1960 it was officially proposed and accepted under the name of Thiamine.

What is vitamin B1 for and how do we absorb it?

This vitamin is absorbed in the proximal intestine mainly at the jejunal level, both by Na+-dependent active transport. Also by passive diffusion, depending on its intestinal concentration.

Thiamine reaches the liver through the portal vein, its transformation into the form of a coenzyme occurs in each tissue. So half of the vitamin B1 is stored in skeletal muscle, some areas of the heart, liver, kidneys and nervous tissue. which contains most of thiamine pyrophosphate.

Thiamine is a nutrient that has different functions for our body and some of them can be:

• It is necessary for muscle coordination.
• The development and maintenance of the nervous system.
• Participates in the Krebs cycle being essential for carbohydrates as energy.

What problem occurs due to a lack of vitamin B1?

Not consuming enough B1 vitamins that is recommended daily for our body can have all kinds of consequences, since it is essential to be able to carry out our activities correctly. If, despite the fact that you consume the necessary foods with high levels of Thiamine, you still have problems, it is best to go to your trusted doctor since you may have a gastrointestinal disease that prevents the absorption of this vitamin.

The problems presented by the lack of having low levels of B1 can be:

• Fatima.
• Lack of appetite.
• Gastrointestinal disorders.
• Loss of reflexes
• Irritability.
• Muscular weakness.
• Tingling in arms and legs.
• Blurry vision.
• Heart problems.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Delusions and loss of mental faculties that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

What foods are they in?

Vitamin B1 can be found in foods that are rich in whole grain cereals, some simple examples of these are:

• Wholemeal bread
• Whole grain pasta
• Integral rice

They can also be found in nuts and seeds, pork and red meat in general. In other cases, this vitamin can also be consumed through some pills that contain Thiamine, but in these cases they must be recommended for use by specialists so that you do not consume more than the necessary dose.

Is excessive consumption of Thiamine negative for the body?

• There is currently no known risk associated with Thiamine.
• Some medications can reduce thiamine levels in the body and affect our muscle coordination.
• The recommended daily intake of this vitamin is 1.1 mg in women, 1.2 mg in men and 1.4 mg in pregnant women to care for the health of the fetus.

If you are severely deficient in vitamin B1, it is recommended that you visit your GP and may prescribe vitamin supplements that contain high concentrations of these and other vitamins. At XTRALIFE we have a range of products that contain varieties of vitamins, these will help you recover and reach optimal levels in the body again.