Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

WHAT IS THIAMINE?

Did you know that Thiamine was the first of the B vitamins to be discovered? That’s why it’s also called vitamin B1. Thiamine, like the other B vitamins, is water-soluble and is used by nearly every cell inside the body. Among other things, thiamine is required to transform food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), or cellular energy, and is critical for a healthy metabolism. Thiamine is considered an essential vitamin because the human body cannot produce it, so it must be supplied through diet.

Thiamine is particularly concentrated in skeletal muscles and in the heart, liver, kidneys, and brain, where it plays an essential role in peripheral nerve function, as well as in supporting brain, nerve, and heart function.

Thiamine deficiency, though uncommon in industrialized societies, results in beriberi, a condition caused by malnutrition that results in muscle wasting, cardiovascular issues, polyneuropathy, and memory loss/Alzheimer’s disease. In Western nations the most common cause of thiamin deficiency is alcoholism. This can cause Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a neuropsychiatric disorder that damages multiple areas of the brain and manifests as confusion, problems with vision, as well as balance, and coordination. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is often referred to as “alcoholic dementia”. People suffering from anorexia and people who are on dialysis or taking loop diuretics for congestive heart failure are also at risk of thiamine deficiency.

BENEFITS of THIAMINE

• Corrects Thiamine Deficiency in Those Suffering from Alcohol Use Disorder
• Supports Healthy Growth and Development
• Stimulates & Support Healthy Cognitive Function
  
  

WHO NEEDS THIAMINE?

Natural health care practitioners and conventional medical doctors alike both recommend a thiamine supplement for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), as well as to help prevent kidney disease in diabetic patients. Thiamine is also regularly recommended to help prevent the development of cataracts, as well as to support cardiovascular health, boost immunity, and prevent cognitive decline.

THIAMINE POTENCY, FORMS & FORMATS

Thiamine Potency

Thiamine supplements are typically offered in the 100 – 150 mg dose range. Severe thiamine deficiency is most often addressed with a dose of 300 mg daily or more. If you think you may be deficient in thiamine, discuss the appropriateness of taking a thiamine supplement with your health care practitioner.

Thiamine Forms

Thiamine supplements are typically offered as thiamine mononitrate and thiamine hydrochloride, both of which are stable and water-soluble. Benfotiamine is another widely available form of thiamin that is fat-soluble and has been shown to have a higher bioavailability and better absorption than other forms of thiamine.

Thiamine Formats

Thiamine supplements in the isolated form are sold primarily as capsules and tablets but can also be found in liquid form. Thiamine is also frequently found in B complex formulas, along with the rest of the B vitamin family.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR THIAMINE SUPPLEMENT

Although thiamine deficiency is not common, the following drugs can all contribute; furosemide, famotidine, fluoroquinolone, metformin, and oral contraceptives, as well as chronic kidney disease, gastric bypass surgery, regular alcohol consumption/alcoholism, excessive intake of caffeine, and obesity.