Vitamin B1 was the first of the B vitamins to be discovered and plays a vital role in brain health and function.
Vitamin B1, otherwise known as thiamine, is essential in our diets as it works to metabolise food and support almost every function of the body. This key B vitamin helps break down carbohydrates into sugars, which is the primary source of energy for all cells. Not getting enough can result in complications of the brain, nervous system, heart, muscles and gastrointestinal tract.
Where it's found
Most foods contain small amounts of thiamine, with the largest amounts found in pork and organ meats.
All living organisms use thiamine, but it’s produced only in bacteria, fungi, and plants. Therefore we need to obtain it from our diet. Natural food sources include cereal grains and oatmeal, flax, sunflower seeds, brown rice, whole grain rye, asparagus, kale, cauliflower, potatoes, oranges, liver and also eggs.
How it can benefit you
The primary use of thiamine as a supplement is to treat beriberi, which is caused by not getting enough thiamine in your diet - although a deficiency of vitamin B1 is rare in the developed world.
It’s also thought that thiamine might help Alzheimer's disease.
This core vitamin is used also for the treatment or prevention of –
- Heart failure
- Kidney damage in diabetics
- Crohns disease
- Poor appetite
- Multiple sclerosis
- Chronic diarrhea
- Stomach problems
Naturopath Mim Beim says:
“This vitamin is needed to break down alcohol.”