Vitamin B1, also known as thiamin, was the first recognized primary water-soluble vitamin. It has important roles in human health ; indeed It is known that vitamin B1 has benefits for nervous system health, heart health, vitality, and mental well-being.
It functions as a catalyst in the generation of energy. Being the human organ with the highest energy requirement, the brain is greatly hampered by a vitamin B1 deficit. A vitamin B1 shortage is also related to Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and alcohol-related brain disorders. Thiamine also plays a role as a neuromediator, which involves it in the phenomena of neurotransmission, and takes part in myelin sheath maintenance. It would seem that it is important for our intellectual faculties and particularly for the process of memorization. Vitamin B1 is also needed for muscle activity, including heart muscle. Finally, it greatly intervenes in the breakdown and detoxification of alcohol by the liver.
Vitamin B1 is present in meat, fish, eggs, beans and peas, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and yogurt; however, certain food products such as tea, coffee, raw fish, and shellfish contain thiaminases – enzymes that destroy thiamine.
Thiamine deficiency can affect the cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems, as commonly seen in wet beriberi, dry beriberi, or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Thiamine deficiency is most frequently documented on a global scale in populations where polished rice and milled cereals are the primary food source and in patients with chronic alcohol use disorder.
Daily intake requirement for males it is 1.2 milligram whereas for females is 1 milligram.
