Of the vitamins needed by the body, vitamin B1 or thiamine is essential for carbohydrate metabolism, which converts carbohydrate into energy.
It is classified as a water-soluble vitamin, and is usually supplied by food, since the body cannot synthesise it. It is also a vitamin that is altered by heat; thus, cooking food causes it to be lost, as does canning and refining. It is a member of theB-group of vitamins.
What is this vitamin?
Vitamin B1 is a vitamin found mainly in food, since the body cannot produce it. It is therefore essential to get enough of it every day. This vitamin can be consumed in its free form in plants, but it is also present in animal proteins in the form of thiamine pyrophosphate.
It is called the optimism vitamin because it is involved in the proper psychological and cardiac functioning of humans. It has a perfect effect on the nervous system and prevents heart failure. Its particular property is to optimise energy metabolism, allowing the transformation of carbohydrates into energy in the body.
What is its role?
This vitamin has several roles, the main one being to convert carbohydrate into energy. In fact, it is involved in the Krebs cycle, operating in the manufacture of energy for the body's daily activities by participating in the proper functioning of the nervous system, as well as in muscle contractions.
It is also a good ally in preventing diabetes by acting as a "plug" against bad cholesterol and triglycerides. By improving the left ventricular function, it is of great help to people prone to heart problems. In order to optimise memory, this vitamin boosts nerve impulses, as it also influences the mood by reducing stress, thus preventing burn-out, especially in women.
By consuming food containing it, we note a significant intervention in the muscular system, essentially for the stimulation of the muscles of the digestive structure. Vitamin B1 or thiamine is often recommended for chronic alcoholics.
There are some rather unknown effects on the foetus, as mothers who take it regularly have a high chance of giving birth to a normal baby without the risk of malformation.
Vitamin B1 for athletes
This vitamin is considered to be THE vitamin for athletes. Indeed, being necessary for the energy metabolism of carbohydrates, it plays an important role in physical performance. If the recommended nutritional intake* is 1. 1 mg per day for ordinary people, then for sportsmen and women a dose of 1. 5 mg per day is recommended.
In addition, according to a study**, this vitamin or thiamine improves carbohydrate metabolism so as to reduce lactate concentration, ammonia concentration and fatigue. This results in a significant increase in muscular endurance.
Where to find vitamin B1?
As it is a vitamin that cannot be synthesised by the body, it must be taken from the diet. It should be noted that the daily requirement of this vitamin B1 varies according to age, sex and also the period.
Thus, the recommended nutritional intake is 0. 2 mg for infants, children between 1 and 3 years of age will need 0. 4 mg per day and children between 4 and 6 years of age require a dose of 0. 6 mg per day. By the time they are 7-9 years old, they need 0. 8 g per day and for children between 10 and 12 years old, this is 1 mg.
For adolescent girls from 13 years of age and for women, 1. 2 mg per day is required, while for adolescent boys and men, 1. 5 mg of this vitamin is sufficient. Pregnant or breastfeeding women require up to 1. 8 mg.
There are foods rich in all types of vitamins, but vitamin B1 or thiamine is found mainly in foods of animal origin such as meat and liver, in fish and milk and especially in egg yolks.
Plant sources that are rich in vitamin B1 are legumes and cereals, especially Brazil nuts.
The benefits of vitamin B supplementation1
It is recommended that the daily requirement is supplemented with 1. 3 mg to 1. 5 mg per day for an adult. However, it is possible that the food consumed on a daily basis does not meet this requirement. In this case it is possible to take it in another form.
In food supplements, this vitamin can be taken in the form of tablets or capsules which are rich in vitamin B1. In developed countries, this vitamin is very easy to find, as many brands offer it.
It is usually extracted from vitamin-rich foods such as Brazil nuts or egg yolks.
These supplements are especially indicated in certain cases, among others in diabetics and in subjects presenting signs of cardiac insufficiency. In the French population, these supplements are common in hospital settings, when alcohol withdrawal is involved, and the indication is sometimes systematic.
Patients who have undergone digestive surgery take them according to the medical prescription. It is true that the dose in the form of food supplements is much more "manageable", but it should not replace the food form.
Side effects ?
Deficiencies in vitamin B1 or thiamine lead to metabolic dysfunctions, mainly in carbohydrate metabolism, but also in others.
Studies have noted side effects that can lead to complications in the case of deficiency, as the subject would experience great fatigue (as the transformation of carbohydrates into energy is no longer done correctly), loss of appetite and great weight loss.
If the deficiency is severe enough, disorders of the nervous system and cardiac disorders are recorded.
If there is an excess intake of this vitamin, the toxicity is not so obvious. Indeed, the quantity that the body can assimilate is limited. In the event of an overdose, the excess amount will be eliminated in the urine, but it is always advisable to seek medical advice before taking any supplements.
