Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Vitamin B1 also known as thiamine (or thiamin) is one of water-soluble herbal vitamins, one of the most important members of vitamin B complex. Our body is constantly in need of this vitamin because it helps in converting blood sugar into energy. In average, we have 25-30 mg of this vitamin stored in our body, mainly in kidneys, liver, brain and skeletal muscles. However, consuming the foods or beverages rich in caffeine, alcohol, sulfur and certain food-precessing additives causes thiamine loss, which can sometimes bring to vitamin B1 deficiency.

When we consume the foods rich in vitamin B1, this vitamin is absorbed in the small intestine, and our body can consume maximum 5 mg of this vitamin a day. The recommended daily dose of vitamin B1 is o.3 – 0.5 mg for children, 0.6-0.9 for teenagers, 1-1.2 mg for young men and women, 1.1-1.2 for women over 25, 1.2-1.4 mg for men over 25, and 1.4-1.5 mg for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Certainly, it is very important to take into account all sides and individual factors like chronic diseases, lifestyle and so on, for determining the specific dose for every person. Therefore, ask you doctor’s assistance in specifying your individual daily dose of vitamin B1.

Foods rich in vitamin B1 are primarily liver, poultry and yeast, but also it can be found in beans and other legumes, oats, whole grain cereals, rice, whole-wheat flour and rye and so on. Herbal sources of vitamin B1 include such common herbs and medicinal plants as parsley, oat straw, sage, chamomile, burdock root, rose hips, peppermint, hops, fennel seed, fenugreek, alfalfa, nettle, cayenne, red clover, yellow dock, chickweed, bladder wrack, yarrow, raspberry leaves, eyebright, cantip and many others. Certainly, it is possible to receive necessary amounts of this important herbal vitamin by taking special vitamin supplements like vitamin B1 Bomber and others.

Health benefits of vitamin B1 include strengthening the immune system and lowering the risks of minor digestive problems like appetite loss, chronic diarrhea, colic, and so on. This vitamin plays a role in preventing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease, cervical cancer, vision problems like glaucoma and cataracts, etc. Sufficient amounts of vitamin B in your body ensure elasticity and glowing look of your skin, decrease the chances of suffering from motion sickness, enhance your learning abilities and enhance your athletic performance. Finally, thiamine is known as anti-stress vitamin as it can assist us in fighting against harmful effects of stresses.

Vitamin B1 deficiency is a harmful condition which can be revealed by the symptoms like chronic constipation,  weight loss, insomnia, depression, digestion problems and so on. More severe cases of a lack of thiamine are revealed by slowed down heartbeat, muscular cramps, constant fatigue and irritability, severe hair loss, consequent digestive disorders, as well as serious changes in chemical processes in the body. Vitamin B1 deficiency is strictly linked to alcoholism and increased consumption of caffeine-rich beverages.  Add foods rich in vitamin B1 to your daily diet, and you’ll be able to harvest all the above mentioned health benefits of vitamin B1. However, avoid vitamin B1 overdose as well.

Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.

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