Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

What is it vitamin B1 (Thiamine)?

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in maintaining proper nerve, brain, and heart function.

How does it work?

Vitamin B1 acts as a coenzyme in the metabolism of carbohydrates, converting glucose into energy and maintaining healthy nerve function.

What are its active ingredients?

The active ingredient in Vitamin B1 is thiamine hydrochloride.

What forms does it come in?

• Tablets
• Capsules
• Injections

What if there’s an imbalance or deficiency?

A lack of vitamin B1 can lead to a deficiency, causing symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, irritability, and heart problems.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

The use of vitamin B1 for medicinal purposes dates back to the 1930s when it was first used to treat beriberi, a disease caused by thiamine deficiency.

Summary:

Vitamin B1 is a water-soluble vitamin that acts as a coenzyme in the metabolism of carbohydrates and helps maintain healthy nerve function. It is available in various forms and is commonly used to treat and prevent conditions such as beriberi, neuropathy, and depression. Foods rich in vitamin B1 include pork, beef, and brown rice. A deficiency in vitamin B1 can lead to symptoms such as fatigue and heart problems. Vitamin B1 is generally well tolerated with possible side effects including headache and dizziness. The recommended daily dose for adults is 1.2-1.5 mg, and it is best taken in the morning with food.

What does Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) help with?

Vitamin B1 is also called thiamine. It is found in pork, beans, seeds, nuts and whole grains. Your body stores very little of it, so you need some most days.

Most of the good evidence is about fixing a shortfall. When thiamine runs low, topping it up has helped in studies. When levels are already fine, the gains look much smaller and less clear.

• Nerve pain from diabetes
  Good evidence — randomised trials of benfotiamine in people with diabetic neuropathy. Benfotiamine is a fat-friendly form of thiamine. In lab work, it blocked sugar-driven pathways that harm nerves. In clinical trials in people with diabetes, it lowered nerve pain scores. It did so more than plain thiamine, but the trials were short.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T0
• Burning, tingling or numb feet and hands
  Early evidence — small human studies, mostly in people with low thiamine. Thiamine is known to help keep the myelin sheath healthy. That sheath coats nerve fibres. This is general nutrition science, not a trial of a supplement. In small human studies, people with low levels reported less burning and tingling after taking it.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Alcohol-related nerve and brain damage
  Early evidence — long clinical use and case series; large randomised trials are lacking. Alcohol blocks thiamine uptake and drains body stores fast. That is well established. Heavy drinkers are among the highest-risk groups for a shortfall. Thiamine is standard care in hospitals to head off alcohol-related brain damage.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Wernicke's encephalopathy (a deficiency crisis)
  Early evidence — case series and long clinical practice; no large randomised trial. This is a brain emergency caused by severe thiamine loss. It often follows heavy drinking, extreme dieting or long spells of vomiting. Doctors give high-dose thiamine by drip as standard care. Reports show confusion, vision trouble and poor balance can lift when it is caught early.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Heart failure symptoms
  Early evidence — small human trials, some in people taking furosemide. The water pill furosemide flushes thiamine out in the urine. In small trials in people with heart failure, thiamine improved pumping measures. Some symptoms eased too. The trials were small and the results varied.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Low energy and long-term tiredness
  Early evidence — studies in people with low thiamine levels. Turning carbs from food into energy needs thiamine. That is settled nutrition science. In studies of people with low levels, fixing the shortfall lifted energy and stamina within a few weeks.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Low mood and anxious feelings
  Early evidence — several small studies in young adults. In lab work, thiamine supports the making of GABA and acetylcholine. Both help steady mood and calm the nerves. Several small studies in young adults found better mood and less anxiety on modest doses. These studies were short.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T0
• Brain fog and poor focus
  Evidence doesn't support this — few and mixed human studies. The brain uses a lot of thiamine. That is basic nutrition science, not proof a pill helps. Human studies on thinking, memory and focus are few and mixed. Whether topping up clears brain fog is not settled.
  Evidence grade D · Traditional tier T0
• Poor appetite and sluggish digestion
  Not yet tested in people — no human trial on file; based on known nerve biology. Thiamine has a known role in the nerves that run the gut. A severe shortfall can come with nausea and a poor appetite. No human trial on file has tested thiamine as a way to lift appetite or speed digestion.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T0

What Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) has not been shown to do

• In people who already get enough thiamine, extra has not been shown to raise energy.
• It has not been shown to sharpen memory or focus in healthy people with normal levels.
• It has not been shown to reverse nerve damage that is already well set.
• Pills by mouth have not been shown to be enough in a Wernicke's emergency, where a drip is standard hospital care.
• It has not been shown to make heavy drinking safe, or to replace care for alcohol use.
• It has not been shown to replace heart failure drugs or a water pill.
• It has not been shown to work on its own for a diagnosed anxiety disorder.
• No human trial on file shows it helps appetite or slow digestion.

How to read this:

A means steady results across randomised human trials. B means at least one good human trial. C means small, early or mixed human work. D means weak or clashing human evidence. Insufficient means no human study on file. A grade rates the evidence, not how well it will work for you. This page lists options, not advice. It does not say this remedy treats or cures anything. Talk with your own clinician about dose, other drugs you take, and who should avoid it.

What can Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) help prevent?

• Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in people with alcohol use disorder
• Beriberi (thiamine deficiency disease)
• Diabetic neuropathy progression (with benfotiamine)
• Thiamine deficiency in people on long-term diuretics (e.g., furosemide)

Which foods are rich in it?

1. Whole Grains: Brown rice, barley, and millet are good sources.
2. Legumes: Lentils, black beans, and soybeans are rich in thiamine.
3. Pork: Especially pork loin, which is one of the highest natural sources of thiamine.
4. Seeds: Sunflower seeds and flaxseeds are excellent sources.
5. Nuts: Almonds, macadamia nuts, and pistachios contain significant amounts.
6. Beef Liver: Liver is a nutrient-dense food with high levels of thiamine.
7. Fish: Especially trout and salmon are good sources.
8. Yeast: Nutritional and brewer's yeast are rich in thiamine.
9. Eggs: Particularly the yolks are a good source of thiamine.
10. Poultry: Chicken and turkey, especially the dark meat, contain thiamine.
11. Green Peas: Fresh or frozen peas have a good amount of thiamine.
12. Asparagus: This vegetable is a good source of many nutrients, including thiamine.
13. Oranges: Not only high in vitamin C, but also a decent source of thiamine.
14. Bread: Whole grain breads are better sources compared to white bread.
15. Fortified Breakfast Cereals: Many are fortified with thiamine and other B vitamins.

What are possible side effects?

Vitamin B1 is generally well tolerated when taken at recommended doses, however some side effects of Vitamin B1 include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Upset stomach

Can I overdose?

High doses can cause side effects such as:

• Itching
• Burning
• Numbness

What’s the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of Vitamin B1 for adults is 1.2-1.5 mg.

How long does it take to work?

It may take several weeks to see the benefits of Vitamin B1.

What time of day is best to take it?

It is best to take Vitamin B1 in the morning or with a meal.

Should I take it with food?

It is best to take Vitamin B1 with food.

Recommended use for insomnia:

• 13yrs -17yrs old : Dosage: 300 mg to 400 mg daily
• 18yrs -50yrs old : Dosage: 400 mg to 600 mg daily
• 51yrs old and up : 600 mg to 800 mg daily
• Time it takes to work: approximately 4 to 8 weeks