Vitamin B1/Thiamin
Vitamin B1, or thiamin, is necessary for the body to convert sugar into usable energy. It is also critical for maintaining myelin sheaths, the protective coverings surrounding most nerves, and for the production of the neurotransmitters that relay messages between nerves and muscles.
The most common symptom of thiamin deficiency is loss of appetite. Deficiency can also lead to nerve dysfunction resulting in numbness, tingling, or muscle tenderness in the legs, and indigestion or constipation resulting from poor intestinal muscle tone.
Thiamin is not known to present any risk of toxicity, even when taken in high doses.
Thiamin is highly unstable. Cooking, processing, and long-term storage destroys the majority of thiamin in food.
| US Recommended Daily Allowance: | 1.5 mg |
Health Benefits of Vitamin B1/Thiamin
| Colon | A deficiency can cause constipation. |
| Eyes/Vision | A deficiency may be related to glaucoma. |
| Hydrochloric Acid | Necessary for production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. |
| Memory | Helps slow memory loss in Alzheimer's patients. A deficiency can lead to memory loss. |
| Mood | Even a mild deficiency can lead to depression. |
| Muscles | Helps ease muscle stress resulting from exercise. Mild deficiencies can cause muscle weakness and leg spasms. Severe deficiencies can sometimes result in paralysis. |
| Nerves | Deficiencies, especially resulting from overconsumption of alcohol, can cause a type of nerve damage that results in memory loss, jerky eye movements, staggering, and disorientation. |
Food Sources of Vitamin B1/Thiamin
| Sunflower Seeds | 0.4 mg | 27% | |
| Cherimoya | 0.3 mg | 20% | |
| Jerusalem Artichokes | 0.3 mg | 20% | |
| Macadamia Nuts | 0.3 mg | 20% | |
| Asparagus | 0.2 mg | 13% | |
| Brazil Nuts | 0.2 mg | 13% | |
| Dandelion Greens | 0.2 mg | 13% | |
| Flax Seeds | 0.2 mg | 13% | |
| Lambsquarters | 0.2 mg | 13% | |
| Quinoa | 0.2 mg | 13% | |
| Sweet Potatoes | 0.2 mg | 13% |