Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is a necessary nutrient for our bodies to function properly. Vitamin B1 deficiency causes several painful, often life-threatening, diseases. Fortunately, B1 is available in nearly every food group.
Sources of Vitamin B1
Most foods contain at least a small amount of vitamin B1. The most effective sources are whole grains and green leafy vegetables. Other good sources include flax seeds, eggs and beef or pork liver.
Recommended Dosage
The recommended dosage of vitamin B1 varies by age and gender. For children under 14, the RDA is below 1 mg per day. For men and older boys, 1.2 mg per day is recommended, and for women and older girls, 1.1 mg per day. For pregnant or breast-feeding women, the RDA is 1.4. There have been tests done showing that higher amounts are not only safe, but beneficial. However, the data is not sufficient to make a recommendation for higher dosages.
Benefits of Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 is an important ingredient in the effective processing of carbohydrates into usable energy for the body. It is also necessary for healthy nervous system function and it aids in the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. It has been suggested that vitamin B1 can strengthen the immune system as well as prevent cataracts.
Vitamin B1 Deficiency
Vitamin B1 deficiency is dangerous, although not very common, and is usually accompanied by general malnourishment. Severe B1 deficiency is known as "beriberi," a Sinhalese word that literally means, "I cannot, I cannot," because of the complete inability to function normally.
The symptoms of beriberi are painful and can be life-threatening. This disease starts with general fatigue and confusion, but quickly progresses to include whole-body pain, severe weight loss and sometimes heart failure or paralysis.
Fortunately, this disease is completely reversible by simply supplying adequate vitamin B1 in the diet.
Warnings
Because vitamin B1 is water-soluble, it is nearly impossible to overdose, because the body does not store it. Any excess will simply pass through body unabsorbed. The down side to this is the fact that, since it is not stored, there is none available in times of unexpected deficiency.
A very few people have experienced allergic reactions when receiving large amounts of vitamin B1. It can also have adverse reactions to some medications such as digoxin or diuretics.
Tags: