Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Explained

Vitamin B1 (also known as thiamine) is a water soluble vitamin and is part of the B-complex vitamins (a group of eight B vitamins that were initially thought to be the singular vitamin B).  The discovery of vitamin B1 is heavily linked with a condition called beriberi.  During the late nineteenth century a beriberi epidemic broke out in Asia.  This prompted increased research into both the cause of beriberi and a cure.

The Dutch physician Christiaan Eijkman was the first person to discover the link between vitamin B1 and beriberi when he realised that feeding chickens unpolished (brown) rice could cure beriberi.  He concluded that the skin on unpolished rice contained an anti-beriberi factor (which would later become known as vitamin B1).  In 1935 the chemist Robert Williams finally made the key breakthrough and isolated the substance thiamine aka vitamin B1.

The main function of vitamin B1 is to act as a catalyst in the reaction which converts blood sugar into energy.  So in other words it helps your body’s cells get energy from the food you eat.  However, it also has other important functions which include:
- Helping the body produce fats.
- Helping the body to break down proteins.
- Improved mental function and possible protection against Alzheimer’s disease (a condition which leads to memory less and reduced mental function according to How Stuff Works).
- Maintaining a healthy nervous system.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin B1 is 1mg for men and 0.8mg for women.  One of the best sources of vitamin B1 is enriched wholemeal products such as brown rice, wholemeal bread and wholemeal cereals.  Pork and green vegetables are also a good source of this vitamin.  However, if you are getting your vitamin B1 from green vegetables make sure that you take extra care during preparation.  Since it is a water soluble vitamin it is destroyed by high heats and can also leak from the vegetables into the cooking water.  My recommendation is to get a steamer.  They provide you with a quick, convenient way to prepare your vegetables whilst removing minimal amounts of vitamin B1.  Plus, I always find that vegetables have a fresher, more satisfying taste when steamed.

A serious vitamin B1 deficiency is rare in developed Western countries.  However, there are exceptions to this rule.  Alcoholics and heavy drinkers are often deficient in vitamin B1, particularly when they go for long periods without food.  People who have a poor diet that is rich in highly processed junk foods are also likely to be lacking vitamin B1.

Not getting enough vitamin B1 ultimately leads to beriberi, the condition discussed at the beginning of this article.  There are two main forms of beriberi; dry beriberi and wet beriberi.  Dry beriberi is a nervous system disorder which can lead to pain, loss of feeling in your extremities, muscle weakness and in the worst cases brain damage and death.  Wet beriberi is a cardiovascular disorder which can enlarge your heart, increase your heart rate and in the worst cases cause heart failure.

Since vitamin B1 is water soluble any excess is excreted when you urinate.  Therefore, overdosing on vitamin B1 is rare, particularly when it is taken orally.  However, if injected the amount of vitamin B1 in your body can potentially reach toxic levels.  The symptoms of a vitamin B1 overdose can include nausea, sweating, difficulty breathing and blue coloured skin.

Getting adequate levels of vitamin B1 from your diet should really not be a problem.  As I have already mentioned vitamin B1 deficiencies and overdoses are rare.  However, if you feel you are currently not getting enough of this important vitamin simply add some more wholemeal products to your diet.  Wholemeal bread, cereal, pasta and rice are all great choices to help you get your RDA of vitamin B1.  Throw in some green vegetables on top and you should be fully topped up and virtually immune to beriberi.

Sources:
Vitamin B1 Information (How Stuff Works)
Vitamin B1 Information (Life Clinic)
Vitamin B1 Information (NobelPrize.org)
Vitamin B1 Information (Wikipedia)

What are B Vitamins?

The B vitamins (also known as the B-complex vitamins) are a group of eight water soluble vitamins.  They all play an important role in cell metabolism (the process which allows your body’s cells to get energy and nutrients from the food you eat) and were initially thought to be a singular B vitamin.  Today I am going to be discussing the B vitamin group in greater detail.

The B vitamins were initially discovered by Elmer V. McCollum and his team of researchers who were performing nutritional studies on rats.  Between 1912 and 1914 these studies had led to the discovery of vitamin A – the first of the thirteen vitamins to be discovered.  Following on from this, McCollum’s team discovered the vitamin B complex in milk some time between 1915 and 1917.  Since these B vitamins were thought to be a singular vitamin, McCollum adopted Chashmir Funk’s term and named his discovery vitamin B.

The main reason that the B vitamins were first thought to be just one single vitamin is that they are found together in a number of foods.  They also perform similar functions in the body with all the B vitamins having a key role in the either the conversion of foods to energy or the creation of new cells.  However, further research revealed that there was not one B vitamin – there were eight…

1) VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN):- Vitamin B1 was discovered by Robert Williams in 1935 as part of a search for a cure for the disease beriberi.  Its main function is to help the body’s cells break down blood sugar into energy but it also helps maintain a healthy nervous system.  The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for this vitamin is 1mg in men and 0.8mg in women.  Some of the foods that contain vitamin B1 include brown rice, wholemeal products and green vegetables.

2) VITAMIN B2 (RIBOFLAVIN):- Vitamin B2 was was first discovered in the late nineteenth century but was not recognised as a vitamin until 1935 when it was isolated by Kuhn and Karrer.  Its main function is to help the body’s cells get energy from the foods we eat but it also promotes healthy skin and healthy vision.  The RDA for this vitamin is 1.3mg in men and 1.1mg in women.  Vitamin B2 can be found in dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt.

3) VITAMIN B3 (NIACIN):- Vitamin B3 was officially discovered by Conrad Elvenhjem in 1937 as part of research into a cure for the disease pellagra.  Its main function is to assist in the conversion of blood sugar into energy but it also promotes healthy nerves and a healthy digestive system.  The RDA for this vitamin is 19mg in men and 15mg in women.  Some of the foods that contain vitamin B3 include meat, eggs and peanuts.

4) VITAMIN B5 (PANTOTHENIC ACID):- Vitamin B5 was discovered by R.J. Williams in 1933 when he identified it as a growth factor in yeast.  Its main function is to help the body’s cells break down food into energy but it also helps the body heal wounds and produce red blood cells.  The RDA for this vitamin is 5mg in both men and women.  Vitamin B5 can be found in fresh vegetables, eggs and salmon.

5) VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXINE):- Vitamin B6 was discovered by Paul Gyorgy in 1938 when he was looking for a cure for the disease acrodynia.  Its main function is to help the body’s cells break down proteins into a form that they can use but it also plays a key role in regulating hormones.  The RDA for this vitamin is 1.4mg in men and 1.2mg in women.  Some of the foods that contain vitamin B6 include salmon, nuts and peas.

6) VITAMIN B7 (BIOTIN):- Vitamin B7 was first noticed by M.A. Boas in 1927 and isolated by  Vincent Du Vigneaud in 1940.  Its main function is to help the body’s cells break down fats and carbohydrates for energy but it also assists in the breakdown of amino acids.  The RDA for this vitamin is 0.03mg in men and 0.01mg in women.  Some of the foods that contain vitamin B5 include liver, milk and egg yolks.

7) VITAMIN B9 (FOLIC ACID):- Vitamin B9 was first noticed by Lucy Willis in 1930 and isolated by Henry K. Mitchell in 1941.  Its main function is to help the body produce DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (ribonucleic acid) and new cells but it also works with vitamin B12 to help produce red blood cells.  The RDA for this vitamin is 0.2mg in both men and women.  Vitamin B9 can be found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, green beans and brocolli.

VITAMIN B12 (COBALAMIN):- Vitamin B12 was discovered simultaneously by Karl Folkers,  E. Lester Smith and L.F.S. Parker in 1948, as the result of a search for a cure for pernicious anemia.  Its main function is to work with vitamin B9 to prodce DNA and RNA but it also assists in hormone production.  The RDA for this vitamin is 0.002mg in both men and women.  Some of the foods that contain vitamin B12 include liver, fish and dairy products.

I hope this article has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had regarding the B vitamins.  Despite the fact that they are often found together in foods and perform similar functions they are all unique, individual vitamins.  Each and every one is essential for the proper functioning of your body so make sure you are consuming enough of all eight.

Sources:
B Vitamin Information (How Stuff Works)
B Vitamin Information (Wikipedia)
History of Vitamins (About.com)