Vitamins
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin B1, also known as thiamin(e), is an essential nutrient for:
- Energy Metabolism: Helping metabolize carbohydrates into glucose, which is then used by cells to produce energy. [1]
- Nerve Function: Helping create neurotransmitters that are responsible for transmitting signals throughout the body.
- Heart Health: Helping to keep the heart healthy by maintaining proper heart muscle function. [2]
Thiamine deficiency leads to a number of health problems, including beriberi, a disease that affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems. It is important to get enough thiamine in your diet by consuming foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lean meats.
Types of Vitamin B1
The types of thiamine can be split into three categories based on their solubility and if they are natural or synthetic.
Synthetic forms of thiamine are lab-derived compounds designed to increase different characteristics such as stability, storage time and absorption.
Your body converts all three forms into primarily thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), which is then used by cells in your body to carry out the functions of Vitamin B1.
1. Natural Water-Soluble
Thiamine as found in nature, primarily in high vitamin B1 foods
2. Synthetic Water-Soluble
Fortified foods and dietary supplements typically contain either:
- Thiamine Hydrochloride (HCL)
- Thiamine Mononitrate
3. Synthetic Fat-Soluble (Allithiamines)
Initially designed to treat widespread Vitamin B1 deficiency in Japan, common allithiamines include:
- Benfotiamine
- Sulbutiamine
- Fursultiamine (a.k.a. Thiamine TetrahydroFurfuryl Disulfide or TTFD)
Note that the fat-solubility of allithiamines poses risk as excess amounts consumed are not excreted in the urine.
Dosage
You should know!
It's always important to talk to a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.
Daily
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adults 19 years and older is:
- Men: 1.2mg
- Women: 1.1mg
- Pregnancy or Lactation: 1.4mg
The specified RDA is not applicable to synthetic fat-soluble thiamine supplements due to their different bioavailability profile.
Maximize Absorption
Bioavailability of different forms of Vitamin B1
| B1 | B1 HCL | B1 MN | Benfotiamine | Sulbutiamine | TTFD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low [3] | Low [4] | Low | High | High | High |
Positive Research
Vision
One of the most important functions of vitamin A is in maintaining healthy vision. It is necessary for the formation of rhodopsin, a protein that is essential for night vision. Vitamin A also helps to protect the eyes from damage caused by free radicals, which can lead to age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Cell Growth
Vitamin A is also important for the growth and development of the body's cells and tissues. It plays a role in the formation of bones, teeth, and soft tissues, as well as the production of white blood cells which help to protect against infections. It also supports healthy skin, hair, and nails, and can help to prevent skin conditions such as acne and wrinkles.
High Vitamin B1 Foods
| Food | Milligrams(mg) per serving | Percent DV* |
|---|---|---|
| Trout, cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces | 0.4 | 33 |
| Black beans, boiled, ½ cup | 0.4 | 33 |
| Pork chop, bone-in, broiled, 3 ounces | 0.4 | 33 |
| Mussels, blue, cooked, moist heat, 3 ounces | 0.3 | 25 |
| Tuna, Bluefin, cooked, dry heat, 3 ounces | 0.2 | 17 |
| Macaroni, whole wheat, cooked, 1 cup | 0.2 | 17 |
| Acorn squash, cubed, baked, ½ cup | 0.2 | 17 |
| Rice, brown, long grain, not enriched, cooked, ½ cup | 0.1 | 8 |
| Bread, whole wheat, 1 slice | 0.1 | 8 |
| Beef steak, bottom round, trimmed of fat, braised, 3 ounces | 0.1 | 8 |
- RDA based on 1.2 mg Vitamin B1
References
Martel, Julianna L., Connor C. Kerndt, Harshit Doshi, and David S. Franklin. “Vitamin B1 (Thiamine).” In StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2022. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482360/.
DiNicolantonio, James J., Asfandyar K. Niazi, Carl J. Lavie, James H. O’Keefe, and Hector O. Ventura. “Thiamine Supplementation for the Treatment of Heart Failure: A Review of the Literature.” Congestive Heart Failure 19, no. 4 (2013): 214–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/chf.12037.
Fukuwatari, Tsutomu, and Katsumi Shibata. “Relative Availability of Water-Soluble Vitamins in a White Bread Diet to Free Vitamins.” Journal of Home Economics of Japan 60, no. 1 (2009): 57–63. https://doi.org/10.11428/jhej.60.57.
Tallaksen, C. M. E., A. Sande, T. Bøhmer, H. Bell, and J. Karlsen. “Kinetics of Thiamin and Thiamin Phosphate Esters in Human Blood, Plasma and Urine after 50 Mg Intravenously or Orally.” European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 44, no. 1 (January 1, 1993): 73–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315284.