Vitamins and Minerals Facts:
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Knowing Your Vitamins and Minerals Facts

The vitamins and minerals facts surrounding Vitamin B1 are quite interesting.  Vitamin B1 is a water-soluble vitamin and is also known as Thiamin.  This vitamin is an important part of the family of B-complex vitamins.  The primary role this vitamin is in the conversion process of blood sugars into glucose. Vitamin B1 helps the body break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Adequate levels of Vitamin B1 ensure that the nervous system and the cardiovascular system work properly and efficiently. Also, the proper functioning of the muscles is dependent on sufficient quantities of this unique vitamin. The production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the body's main source of fuel, is dependent on Vitamin B1.  The heart muscle, in particular, depends on this vitamin, or fuel supply, to support its most important job of circulating blood and supplying the blood cells with oxygen.

Due to its role in helping the heart pump blood, it is thought that Vitamin B1 can possibly help those individuals suffering from congestive heart failure.  For the nervous system, Vitamin B1 can also be used to ease the numbness and tingling associated with nerve damage. Because of the benefits this vitamin provides in the heart pumping and energy conversion processes, it has also been known to boost a person's mood and energy levels.  It truly provides a 'feel good' mood for those consuming proper levels of Vitamin B1. 

Because Vitamin B1 is one of the water soluble vitamins, it must be continuously replenished.  If you don't remember, water soluble vitamins are 'use it or lose it'.  What the body cannot use immediately is eliminated via the urine.  So, if not replenished adequately, a deficiency can result quickly.   But because B1 is found in so many foods, deficiencies are very rare.

Best Sources of Vitamin B1

Good sources of Vitamin B1 include pork, whole grain cereals, wheat germ, navy beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, peas, peanuts, fish, oysters, whole wheat and rye flour, oranges and orange juice and raisins. The best sources are found in beef liver and kidneys and in brewer's yeast.

What are the Daily Intake Requirements?

A determination as to the most beneficial daily intake of Vitamin B1 has yet to be made. However, since this vitamin is non-toxic, it really is not possible to consume 'too much'. Remember, as a water soluble vitamin, B1 is constantly eliminated from the body through the urine. Most experts agree that 1.5 mg each day is sufficient for men and women.

Symptoms of Vitamin B1 Deficiency

As individuals age, it is not unusual  for Vitamin B1 levels to start to decline.  Besides the natural deficiency brought about by aging, Vitamin B1 deficiencies are still very rare nowadays.  But they do exist. Those individuals who consume excessive amounts of alcohol are most adversely affected.  This is because alcohol inhibits the body's ability to properly absorb vitamin B1.   And in babies that are given formula lacking in Vitamin B1, deficiencies can result.

One of the most common symptoms of a Vitamin B1 deficiency, is a condition known as Beriberi.  The major symptoms of this condition include mental confusion, rapid heartbeat, nerve trouble and muscle deterioration.   Vitamin B1 also plays a significant role in effectively transmitting nerve signals between the spinal cord and the brain.  Deficiencies of this vitamin can also lead to the development of headaches, depression, nausea, nerves that tingle, and tiredness. 

The vitamins and minerals facts for Vitamin B1 suggest that this vitamin should be an essential part of your supplementation program.  To make sure that you are consuming adequate quantities of this very important vitamin, a good nutritional multivitamin supplement, or B complex vitamin, should be considered.   You can start your seach to buy a nutritional multivitamin supplement online from one of the many reputable vitamin distributors available.  High quality and low prices - an unbeatable combination!