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Vitamin B1 (thiamin)
What is
vitamin B1?
Also known as thiamin, vitamin B1 is a water-soluble vitamin.
Since it is not stored in body fat, after the body uses what
it needs, any excess vitamin B1 is excreted in the urine.
Why do
we need it?
Like most of the B vitamins, thiamin plays a variety of roles
in the human body. Its most important function is to help
the body's cells convert carbohydrates into ATP – the
fuel the body runs on. It is also involved in metabolic activities
relating to the heart, brain and muscles, and it helps ensure
proper nerve cell function.
How much
vitamin B1 should I take?
According to the National Academy of Science, the recommended
daily allowance (RDA) for thiamin is as follows:
- Adult men: 1.5 milligrams/day
- Adult women: 1.1 milligrams/day
- Children aged 7-10: 1 milligram/day
- Infants: 0.4 milligrams/day
- Pregnant/lactating women: 1.6 milligrams/day
What are
some good sources of vitamin B1?
Thiamin is found in almost all foods, but the best sources
are pork and other lean meats. Other good sources include
enriched and fortified cereals, oatmeal, corn, nuts, beans,
cauliflower and sunflower seeds.
What can
happen if I don't get enough vitamin B1?
Vitamin B1 deficiency can result in edema and abnormal heart
rhythm. Severe B1 deficiency (also known as beriberi) is rare
in the U.S. but can occur in severely malnourished people,
alcoholics, or people on long-term dialysis. Symptoms may
include paralysis, loss of balance, loss of feeling in the
legs and feet, visual problems and congestive heart failure.
What can
happen if I take too much?
To date, no toxic effects have been reported for vitamin
B1. Because it is water-soluble and is not stored in the body,
the chances of enough B1 building up to toxic levels are highly
unlikely. Most people taking multivitamins with high levels
of B1 or eating foods rich in amounts of B1 need not worry
about toxicity.
Other Resources :
The
More You Know About Vitamins
The
More You Know About Nutrition
References
• B vitamins may
cut heart disease risk. Harvard Health News April 1998.
• B vitamins and the heart: what men can learn from women.
Harvard Men's Health Watch June 1998.
• Cheraskin E, Ringsdorf WM, Medford FH, Hicks BS. The
"ideal" daily vitamin B1 intake. J Oral Med
1978; 33:7779.
• Recommended Dietary Allowances, 10th ed. Washington,
D.C.: National Academy Press, 1989.
• Insel PM. Thiamin: essential for health. Health
Line November 1995.
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