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Vitamin B1 is commonly known as Thiamine, Thiamin or Aneurin: Thiamine is the currently accepted name for vitamin B1 in the US; Aneurin is widely used in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom, along with Thiamin.
European RDA: 1.4mg (an almost universal recommendation).
Long Term Benefits to: Energy Levels; Nervous System; Digestive Processes; Muscular Function; Heart; Alcohol-damaged Nerve Tissues.
Food Sources (Descending Order): Yeast; Brown Rice; Wheatgerm; Nuts; Pork; Wheat Bran; Soya; Oatflakes; Wholegrains; Liver; Wholemeal Bread; Milk.
As Thiamin is water-soluble, loss of nutrition can occur during food preparation and cooking. This is especially the case with the following foods, which are good sources of Thiamin – green peas, green beans, pinto beans, navy beans, kidney beans and spinach. Spinach and peas should be cooked with the least amount of liquid possible. It is important for other reasons that beans be cooked properly, by boiling for at least 10 minutes.
As is the case with many discoveries of specific vitamins and their benefits and sources, the discovery of B1 (called Thiamin in this article) was almost accidental. The research which uncovered its existence was initially aimed at discovering cures for specific complaints – often those which affected white explorers and adventurers on their global travels. In the case of Thiamin, the research was into beri-beri, which had been known as a major problem for many years.
As Jacobus Bonitus reported, "A certain very troublesome affliction, which attacks men, is called by the inhabitants beri-beri (which means sheep). I believe those, whom this same disease attacks, with their knees shaking and legs raised up, walk like sheep. It is a kind of paralysis, or rather Tremor: for it penetrates the motion and sensation of the hands and feet indeed sometimes the whole body..." Java, 1630
During the 19th Century the first real investigations into beri-beri related to sailors in the Japanese Navy, who suffered from the disease to a considerable degree, and the initial diagnosis was the inadequate diet, which was insufficient to maintain a healthy nitrogen metabolism.
Following a change of diet, substituting vegetables, barley, fish and meat for the staple rice, the incidence of of beri-beri dropped from 40% to 0% inside 6 years. So successful was this experiment that the Japanese Army also adopted the dietary plans and by 1890 the detail had been incorporated in Japanese law!
Whilst this had great benefits to the health (and performance) of the Japanese military, it did nothing to eradicate beri-beri generally, especially in the Far East, as the general opinion at the time (the Japanese not having published details) was that beri-beri was a microbial infection.
Research continued for many years, primarily in the Far East, but often by colonial researchers (the Dutch in Indonesia, and the Americans in the Philippines, for example). After some problems due to a successful study being wrongly written up (and thus confusing all concerned and their successors), in 1936 Vitamin B1 was finally clearly identified.
However, the American Medical Association did not accept any of the names by which it was known (anti-beri-beri factor, anti-beri-beri vitamin, antineuritic vitamin, vitamin B, vitamin B1, etc.) for inclusion in their New and Non-Official Remedies list, and without such a listing the compound could not be advertised in reputable medical journals. Eventually, the name Thiamine was agreed in the United States.
Whilst much is known about the benefits of Thiamin, less is known about how it has these effects, particularly in relation to the nervous system and the brain.
Apart from the beneficial effects in the case of beri-beri, Thiamin deficiency is also a feature of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (sometimes called Wernicke’s encephalopathy) which is more commonly found in the West and which mainly affects alcoholics. [However, recent research has also found an increased occurrence of this syndrome in some patients after surgery for obesity. It is believed this occurs in patients who experience severe vomiting after surgery, the onset being delayed for some months.]
From the nutritional perspective, Thiamin plays an important role in helping the body convert carbohydrates and fat into energy. It is therefore essential for normal growth and development and helps to maintain proper functioning of the heart and the nervous and digestive systems. Thiamin is water-soluble and cannot be stored in the body; however, once absorbed, the vitamin is concentrated in muscle tissue. Excess Thiamin is evacuated in urine. Because of this a constant supply of Thiamin is necessary to maintain ongoing health.
Although there is a RDA for Thiamin, overdoses are almost unknown except when given by intravenous injection, when an excess can cause an anaphylactic reaction. Increased intake of Thiamin has shown signs of increasing mental acuity. Some studies have suggested a link between diet, Thiamin and autism, but the results are, to say the least, controversial.
Some plants and foodstuffs contain Thiaminase enzymes which break down and render Thiamin inactive. For this reason, raw freshwater fish and raw shellfish should be avoided except in moderation.
Apart from beri-beri, which is relatively rare in the developed world, vitamin B1 deficiency usually causes weight loss, cardiac abnormalities, and neuromuscular disorders. Beri-beri shows up as anorexia, weight loss, enlargement of the heart, muscle weakness, general tiredness and spontaneous itching or burning sensations.
Generally, people are recommended to take the full range of Vitamin B complex, as they jointly have substantial benefits. People who do not eat a balanced diet every day would most likely benefit from taking a multivitamin and mineral complex on a daily basis. A good rule of thumb when selecting a multivitamin is to look for one that includes 100% to 300% of the Daily Value for all essential vitamins and minerals.
If you decide to increase the amount of a particular nutrient make sure you know the safe supplemental range and any contra-indications. It is wise to check with a knowledgeable health care provider if you are considering nutrient supplement doses higher than 300% Daily Value.
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