Vitamin B1 has another name - thiamine.

Vitamin B1 - this compound belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins of the heterocyclic series and can be found under different names: beriberi vitamin, aneurin, aneurin, anti-beriberi vitamin, antineuritic vitamin, thiamine chloride, thiamine bromide, benfotiamine and others.

Vitamin B1 is presented in a water-soluble form (compounds of thiamine chloride and thiamine bromide), as well as a fat-soluble form (benfotiamine), characterized by higher bioavailability and the ability to penetrate tissues rich in fat (including brain tissue).

Thiamine was first discovered in 1910, when the founder of vitaminology, Professor K. Funk, isolated a crystalline substance with high biological activity from rice bran. Since the open molecule contained nitrogen atoms (amin), K. Funk called the substance a vitamin, adding the word life (vita). The same scientists later introduced the concept of “vitaminosis.”

Vitamin B1 is an essential vitamin, as it cannot be produced independently by the human body. Can only come from the outside together with food.

From food to gastrointestinal tract B1 is easily absorbed and quickly penetrates various tissues, accumulating in the liver, heart, brain, kidneys, adrenal glands and skeletal muscles. Muscle tissue can contain up to 50% of the total amount of this vitamin.

In nature, only plants and some microorganisms have the ability to produce vitamin B1. Animals also cannot synthesize it, so to maintain normal life functions they must receive it with food.

Only some ruminant animals do not need thiamine, since this vitamin is produced in the amount required by special bacteria that inhabit the intestines.

Biological role of vitamin B1

Necessary for maintaining optimal functioning of the nervous system (increases mental activity, relieves fatigue);

Intensively participates in the metabolic processes of proteins and carbohydrates;

Normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, improves appetite, enhances motility of the upper intestine and stomach, and helps accelerate the evacuation of food mass;

Supports teamwork cardiovascular system, activates hematopoiesis;

Takes an energetic part in the synthesis of thyroidin (thyroid hormone);

Helps maintain healthy skin and mucous membranes.

Vitamin B1 deficiency

Vitamin B1 deficiency is manifested by the following symptoms:

The presence of several signs at once may indicate a severe deficiency of vitamin B1.

The main causes of vitamin B1 deficiency in the body:

Abuse of bad habits (alcohol, smoking, excess sugar consumption);

Diseases gastrointestinal tract (liver, pancreas, stomach and intestines), taking antibiotics and some other groups of drugs (for example, diuretics);

Malnutrition (excessive consumption of foods high in antithiamine factors);

Heavy physical work or very intense sports, helminthic infestations.

Cooking also does not contribute to the preservation of vitamin B1 in food (losses can be up to 30%).

Foods High in Vitamin B1

Natural sources of vitamin B1 include:

Some “friendly” bacteria that live in the human large intestine are able to independently produce some amount of vitamin B1.

Daily intake of vitamin B1

Recommended daily intake of vitamin B1: 0.3 - 0.5 mg (preschoolers, small children), 0.7 - 1 mg (schoolchildren), 1.5 - 2.2 mg (adults). The amount of daily dose is determined depending on weight, age, nutrition, physical activity and general health.

Hypervitaminosis (excess) of vitamin B1 is extremely rare, since the vitamin does not have a toxic effect on the human body.

To increase digestibility, B1 is recommended to be taken together with vitamins B6, PP, B2, C. It is undesirable to drink tea (contains tannins) and eat raw fish products (contain thiaminase enzyme) at the same time as this vitamin, since the compounds included in their composition are destroy or block vitamin B1.

Medicine thiamine popularly known as vitamin B1(in old medical reference books it is also called anervin).

Thiamine is one of the most important chemical compounds for the body. However, its lack is by no means uncommon.

By the beginning of the twenty-first century, it was discovered that there are four forms of thiamine in the human body, the most common being thiamine diphosphate.

Properties of vitamin B1

Thiamine in its original form is translucent crystals, soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol solutions, but destroyed when heated.

Strongly expressed does not smell of vitamin B1.

Thiamine in the human body is stored mainly in muscles. It was also found in organs such as the heart, liver, brain and kidneys, but in much lower concentrations. Vitamin B1 does not accumulate in the body and is not capable of performing a toxic function.

Chemical formula vitamin B1: C₁₂H₁₇N₄OS+

Structural formula showing the structure of vitamin B1:

The role of vitamin B1 in the body

Thiamine is indispensable for the normal functioning of the nervous and endocrine systems, which are directly related to the aging process. A proper diet and consumption of thiamine in sufficient quantities and in an easily digestible form can hide a person’s true age, slowing down the natural aging process from the inside.

If you pay attention to the long chemical formula of thiamine, you can find in it the Latin letter N, denoting nitrogen. Nitrogen is necessary for building protein in the body; its deficiency has a detrimental effect on muscle strength and health.

Thiamine - “vitamin of optimism”

A sufficient amount of thiamine in the body helps to keep oneself in good shape, look at the world optimistically, and prevents the development of manic-depressive states.

Panic attacks, annoying fears, increased nervousness, depression and the depersonalization that often accompanies it are much more likely to bypass a person who consumes enough thiamine.

Interesting fact about vitamin B1. Research at Princeton (USA), at the Center for Brain Biology, has revealed a direct relationship between stress resistance, nervous system health and adequate intake of vitamin B1.

Thiamine also contributes to the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and improves appetite.

History of the discovery of thiamine

Thiamine was first discussed after the discovery of beriberi disease in Asia, which is caused by a lack of vitamin B1 in the body.

Beriberi disease

Beri Beri, leg swelling

Thiamine deficiency has a detrimental effect on muscle health and strength, with the legs usually being the first to suffer.

heaviness, weakness in legs are the first symptoms of vitamin deficiency, or beriberi disease.

In the modern world, severe forms of vitamin deficiency are extremely rare.

The bulk of cases are recorded in Asia, where part of the population eats mainly a few types of rice containing too little or no thiamine.

The symptoms of beriberi are many times exaggerated consequences of a lack of thiamine in the body.

Patients are characterized by increased nervous excitability and lethargy (beriberi is translated from one of the eastern languages ​​as “ I can't, I can't"), unsteady gait or muscle paralysis caused by their general weakness, loss of appetite and, as a result, weight loss.

Main symptoms:

• loss of appetite;
• nausea and vomiting;
• pain in the legs while walking;
• insomnia;
• increased nervous excitability;
• decreased mental and physical performance;
• decreased pain sensitivity in the feet.

Happens dry beriberi, the result of which can be severe damage to the middle parts of the brain. Wet beriberi entails disruption of the heart and blood vessels. Children's beriberi is somewhat different in symptoms from the course of this type of vitamin deficiency in adults.

The disease can develop acutely or gradually. In the acute form, pain in the legs when walking, numbness in the feet (and sometimes in the hands) and weakness occur sharply within twenty-four or forty-eight hours. With a long-term lack of thiamine, chronic beriberi develops.

Another name for beriberi disease is polyneuritis. Today, it more often affects chronic alcoholics, since alcohol greatly interferes with the absorption of vitamin B1.

Polyneuritis is treated with vitamin injections and a special fortified diet aimed at eliminating thiamine deficiency in the body. They also take special medications that support the gastrointestinal tract and digestive system, which also suffer from a lack of thiamine.

How does vitamin B1 help in different situations?

Most of all, children during periods of intensive growth and children of primary school age who are adapting to new physical and intellectual stress need thiamine.

The vitamin is also important for people over fifty years of age due to its ability to slow down natural aging processes in organism.

According to statistics, about forty percent of young people between the ages of twenty-five and thirty are deficient in thiamine.

Thiamine and alcohol use

Alcoholic drinks greatly interfere with the absorption of vitamin B1. It is not without reason that people at risk for vitamin deficiency are identified as chronic alcoholics. In addition, alcohol also contributes to the occurrence of cancer of the oral cavity, larynx and esophagus.

Attention. Mixing B vitamins and alcohol will not have a harmful effect on the body and will not cause a severe hangover or rapid intoxication. It’s just that the beneficial substances are almost not absorbed by the body.

Sometimes you can hear the opinion that taking a “shock” dose of B vitamins before an alcoholic party will help you quickly sober up and relieve fumes and hangovers.

This is only partly true.

Indeed, vitamins B1, B6 and vitamin C are used to get people out of binge drinking, with alcohol intoxication, and B1 generally “specializes” in a quick sobering effect.

However, it should be borne in mind that taking a large dose of vitamins together can cause overdoses and side effects such as loss of orientation in space, dizziness, rashes and other skin irritations.

Vitamin B6, taken in the dosage indicated in the instructions twelve and four hours before an alcoholic party, can significantly relieve future hangovers. Multivitamin complexes will not be effective as preventive measures of this kind.

For alcohol intoxication

In case of an overdose of alcohol, the body expends enormous energy to fight the poisoning. B vitamins, which do not accumulate in the body anyway, are urgently used to break down alcohol and help the stomach fight the aggressive alcohol environment.

With long-term heavy drinking, a lack of vitamins in the body first develops.

The best way to deliver vitamins to the body is to inject them directly into the blood (this way they will begin to act faster). In conjunction with thiamine, it is recommended to use B6 (stimulates liver activity) and C. These same vitamins are also found in most anti-hangover drugs. In addition to them, tonic and analgesic substances are added to such medicines.

Thiamine is found in fermented milk products - kefir, yogurt

Save from fumes and relieve hangover in the absence of special medications, fermented milk and energy drinks will help - the latter usually contain a “loading dose” of vitamin B1. Tea can also help, but drinking special sports drink is not recommended - its composition is difficult to predict.

For heart disease

Everyone is used to thinking that for the normal functioning of the heart, only potassium and magnesium are needed, but this is not an entirely true statement.

Calcium, phosphorus, selenium, vitamins C, A, E, P, F, B1 and B6 are also important to ensure normal functioning of the heart muscle.

First, thiamine helps maintain normal nervous system, which a priori has a beneficial effect on the heart.

Secondly, it promotes stimulation of heart contractions.

Thiamine is introduced into the body during myocardial infarction, and it also has the ability to preserve vitamin C in the body.

• people over thirty-five years of age;
• children and adolescents;
• people with vascular pathologies;
• athletes;
• people who have suffered severe cardiovascular diseases in the past.

HIV

Thiamine is one of the most popular vitamins prescribed to HIV-infected people. The drug is really capable of having a beneficial effect on patients with severely weakened immune systems and significantly making their life easier, and possibly prolonging it.

Vitamin B1 helps improve the body's resistance for viral infections. It is necessary for the optimal use of carbohydrates, preventing the development of feverish conditions.

For oncology

In cancer diseases, immunotherapy plays a special role.

The main vitamin for cancer patients is vitamin E, as it reduces the activity of cancer cells. Vitamins of groups A and C are also used for treatment - these are good antioxidants.

B vitamins support the heart and promote cell regeneration.

Vitamin B1 Cancer patients are prescribed for disorders of protein synthesis or protein metabolism.

For hair

B vitamins restore and nourish hair along the entire length.

The lack of the same thiamine leads to brittle and dry hair, so especially in the autumn-winter period it is recommended to pay special attention to your hair.

For facial skin

Thiamine is used to treat a number of skin conditions, especially those caused by stress.

Psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis - it is rare that a drug against them does not contain thiamine. Thiamine is also actively used in anti-aging cosmetics due to its ability to slow down the aging process.

Thiamine bromide, chloride and hydrochloride - what are these vitamins?

Thiamine bromide, thiamine chloride and thiamine hydrochloride are drugs that compensate for the deficiency of vitamin B1. All three drugs are water-soluble thiamine salts with the same effect.

Thiamine bromide

Indications for use:

• polio, various encephalitis and other diseases caused by inflammation;
• damage to the central nervous system, trauma, autonomic neuroses and headaches;
• heart disease accompanied by tachycardia;
• stomach and duodenal ulcers;
• deterioration of tissue healing ability;
• eating disorders;
• skin rashes caused by stress;
• intoxication with mercury and arsenic.

Thiamine chloride

Indications for use:

• presence of liver diseases;
• peripheral paralysis;
• radiculitis;
• myocardial dystrophy;
• skin rashes caused by stress.

Thiamine hydrochloride

Indications for use:

• treatment of burns;
• prolonged fever;
• peripheral paralysis;
• chronic liver damage;
• violation of coronary circulation;
• various types of intoxication;
• metabolic disorders;
• disorders in the gastrointestinal tract.

What products contain

Thiamine is produced by plants and microorganisms; humans and animals are not able to produce it on their own. As a result, the main source of vitamin B1 for humans is plant foods.

Legumes contain a lot of thiamine

Soybeans, beans, peas and spinach contain the most thiamine, carrots and potato tubers contain slightly less. It is also found in fermented milk products - kefir, yoghurt.

Dairy products, being products of obvious animal origin, from a logical point of view should not contain thiamine. After all, animals do not know how to produce it, therefore, in the same kefir there is nowhere for it to come from - it cannot be in the original milk.

But it is produced by microorganisms responsible for the fermentation process. It is microorganisms that transform milk into kefir, and they also saturate kefir with thiamine.

Compatibility of vitamins B1 B6 B12

If drugs are administered by injection, they cannot be mixed in the same syringe.

B6 and B12 the first is destroyed by cobalt salts contained in the second.

With simultaneous administration of drugs B1 and B12 part of the second will oxidize. Simultaneous injection of drugs B1 and B6 practically negates the healing properties of both of them.

Not all vitamins are compatible with each other or with other medications. Taking several dietary supplements at the same time can have not only positive, but also negative effects.

However, some vitamins and microelements perfectly complement each other, enhancing their healing properties.

For example, a one-time intake of vitamins B6, K, B9 and B2 will have an extremely beneficial effect on the patient’s health.

ATTENTION

Useful video

This video talks about B vitamins, their dosage, manifestations of deficiency and compatibility:

Grand total

Vitamins and microelements are extremely important for the body. It is recommended to take a course of vitamins two to three times a year. However, first you need to determine the compatibility of the drugs.

Prescriptions of any medications, and especially their complex, must be made by a qualified physician.

Thiamine is one of the most versatile vitamins. It has a beneficial effect on the structure and growth of hair, and on the condition of facial skin. It supports the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, promotes the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates, and helps the body fight viruses and intoxications (including alcohol).

Vitamin B1 belongs to the group of water-soluble vitamins. It was first isolated in 1910 by the Japanese scientist W. Suzuki. Vitamin B1 is necessary for the normal course of development and growth, regulates the functions of the digestive, nervous and cardiovascular systems, and also takes part in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.

Vitamin B1 is not stored in the human body for future use and therefore its reserves must be systematically replenished. Does not have a toxic effect, because its excess is easily excreted with waste products. It enters the body with food and is synthesized by the microflora of the large intestine. Easily destroyed during heat treatment of food.

Biological role of vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 has a regulatory effect on the nervous system. In addition, it takes an active part in the processes of water-salt, protein, carbohydrate, fat and energy metabolism. A lack of vitamin B1 leads to the accumulation of pyruvic and lactic acid in muscle tissue cells, which reduces the synthesis of acetylcholine and disrupts the normal functioning of the digestive and nervous systems.

Vitamin B1 optimizes brain activity, improves memory, mental abilities and mood. It affects growth and actively participates in hematopoietic processes. Thanks to its antioxidant properties, it reduces the negative impact of various toxic substances on the human body, including alcohol and tobacco, and slows down the aging process.

Vitamin B1 maintains the tone of the muscles of the digestive system, blood vessels, and reduces the manifestations of seasickness.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of vitamin B1 for hair. With a lack of this vitamin, hair begins to fade, become thinner and become very brittle. In addition, vitamin B1 deficiency is often one of the main causes of dandruff.

Daily requirement

Every day, an adult should receive at least 0.5 mg of vitamin B1 for every thousand calories. During illness or convalescence, with diseases of the thyroid gland and high physical activity, the need for vitamin B1 increases significantly.

When taking oral contraceptives, antibiotics and medications containing sulfur, there is a decrease in the level of vitamin B1 in the body. In order for vitamin B1 to transform into its active form, a sufficient amount of magnesium must be present.

Vitamin B1 hypovitaminosis

Vitamin B1 deficiency is manifested by the following symptoms:

• Irritability, tearfulness, increased fatigue, depression;
• Insomnia;
• Chilliness;
• Deterioration in coordination of movements;
• Nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea;

With a significant lack of vitamin B1 (vitaminosis), a disease called beriberi develops. It is manifested by symptoms of damage to the nervous system, the appearance of paralysis, muscle atrophy and severe cardiovascular failure.

Vitamin B1 overdose

For this vitamin, the development of a hypervitaminosis state is usually not typical. However, vitamin B1 in ampoules for injection can lead to the development of allergic reactions, because in large doses can lead to the development of nonspecific degranulation of mast cells.

Vitamin B1 content in food

Sources of vitamin B1 are many foods of plant and animal origin:

• Bakery products and bread baked from wholemeal flour;
• Cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, unprocessed rice);
• Sunflower seeds and nuts;
• Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli;
• Soybeans, legumes;
• Oranges;
• Currants, blueberries, strawberries, rose hips;
• Prunes, plums, raisins;
• Spinach, nettle, chamomile, sorrel, clover, mint, parsley;
• Meat and meat by-products (brains, kidneys, liver);
• Fish and seafood.

It should be remembered that under the influence of heat treatment the content of vitamin B1 in products decreases.

Vitamin B1 in ampoules

If there is insufficient intake of vitamin B1 from food and the development of symptoms of hypovitaminosis or vitamin deficiency, administration of vitamin B1 in ampoules (injections) is prescribed. In addition, indications for the use of this vitamin are:

• Diseases of the cardiovascular system – endoarteritis, myocarditis, chronic circulatory failure;
• Neurological diseases – asthenovegetative syndrome, peripheral paralysis, polyneuritis, neuritis;
• Mental illnesses – complex therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, depression, psychosis;
• Diseases of the digestive system - peptic ulcer, gastritis, enterocolitis, chronic pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, disease of the operated stomach.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of vitamin B1 for hair and skin. Therefore, it has found wide use in the treatment of many dermatological diseases (seborrhea, psoriasis, itchy skin, pyoderma).

Name:

Thiamine

Pharmacological
action:

Vitamin B1, refers to water-soluble vitamins. In the human body, as a result of phosphorylation processes, it is converted into cocarboxylase, which is a coenzyme of many enzymatic reactions.
Vitamin B1 plays an important role in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, as well as in the processes of nerve excitation at synapses.
Pharmacokinetics
After oral administration, it is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
Before absorption, thiamine is released from its bound state by digestive enzymes. After 15 minutes, thiamine is detected in the blood, and after 30 minutes - in other tissues.
The content of thiamine in the blood is relatively low, while predominantly free thiamine is found in plasma, and its phosphorus esters are found in erythrocytes and leukocytes.
The distribution in the body is quite wide.
A relative predominance of thiamine content in the myocardium, skeletal muscles, nervous tissue, and liver was noted, which is apparently associated with an increased consumption of thiamine by these structures. Half of the total amount of thiamine is found in striated muscles (including myocardium) and about 40% in internal organs.
The most active of the phosphorus esters of thiamine is thiamine diphosphate.
This compound has coenzyme activity and plays a major role in the participation of thiamine in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.
Excreted through the intestines and kidneys.

Indications for
application:

Hypovitaminosis and vitamin deficiency in various forms of neuritis (nerve inflammation);
- radiculitis, neuralgia (pain spreading along the nerve);
- peripheral paresis (decreased strength and/or range of movements) and paralysis (lack of voluntary movements due to impaired nervous regulation of muscles) of various origins;
- Meniere's disease (disease of the inner ear, characterized by periodic dizziness, nausea, vomiting);
- Korsakov's psychosis (chronic alcoholism, characterized by memory disorders, diseases of the peripheral nervous system, social personality disorders);
- polio (an acute infectious disease characterized by impaired movement) and encephalomyelitis (combined inflammation of the brain and spinal cord);
- Wernicke's disease (cerebral vascular disease, manifested by mental disorders, motor coordination disorder, visual impairment);
- peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
- atony (loss of tone) of the intestines;
- myocardial dystrophy (a disease of the heart muscle associated with a violation of its nutrition);
- disturbances of coronary (through the vessels of the heart) blood circulation in patients with angina pectoris;
- thyrotoxicosis (thyroid disease);
- endarteritis (inflammation of the inner lining of the arteries);
- neurogenic dermatoses (skin diseases due to changes in the activity of the nervous system);
- herpes zoster (a viral disease of the central and peripheral nervous system with the appearance of rash blisters along the sensory nerves);
- psoriasis;
- eczema;
- poisoning (carbon disulfide, tetraethylene lead, mercury, methyl alcohol, arsenic, etc.).

Mode of application:

For medicinal purposes Thiamine chloride and thiamine bromide are used orally (after meals) and parenterally (bypassing the gastrointestinal tract).
Oral doses of thiamine chloride for adults are 0.01 g (10 mg) 1-3 (up to 5) times a day.
Children under 3 years of age are prescribed 0.005 g (5 mg) every other day; 3-8 years - 0.005 g 3 times a day every other day; over 8 years old - 0.01 g 1-3 times a day.
The course of treatment is usually 30 days.
Thiamine bromide, due to its higher relative molecular weight (435.2), is used in slightly larger doses than thiamine chloride (relative molecular weight 337.27); 0.001 g (1 mg) of thiamine chloride corresponds in activity to 0.00129 g (1.29 mg) of thiamine bromide.

In case of malabsorption in the intestine and if it is necessary to quickly create high concentrations of vitamin Bi in the blood, thiamine chloride or thiamine bromide is administered parenterally.
Typically, adults are administered intramuscularly with 0.025-0.05 g of thiamine chloride (1 ml of 2.5% or 5% solution) or 0.03-0.06 g of thiamine bromide (1 ml of 3% or 6% solution) 1 time per day. day daily; children are administered 0.0125 g (0.5 ml of a 2.5% solution) of thiamine chloride or 0.015 g (0.5 ml of a 3% solution) of thiamine bromide.
The course of treatment is 10-30 injections.
The daily requirement for vitamin Bi is about 2 mg for an adult; With heavy physical work, the need for the vitamin increases slightly.
Daily doses for children: from 6 months of age. up to 1 year - 0.5 mg; from 1 year to 1.5 years - 0.8 mg; from 1.5 to 2 years - 0.9 mg; from 3 to 4 years - 1.1 mg; from 5 to 6 years - 1.2 mg; from 7 to 10 years - 1.4 mg; from 11 to 13 years - 1.7 mg; for boys 14-17 years old - 1.9 mg; for girls 14-17 years old - 1.7 mg.
SC (and sometimes IM) injections of thiamine are painful due to the low pH of the solutions.

Side effects:

Allergic reactions: urticaria, skin itching, Quincke's edema; in isolated cases - anaphylactic shock.
Others: sweating, tachycardia.

Contraindications:

Hypersensitivity to thiamine;
- history of allergic diseases (previous).
Allergic reactions to the administration of thiamine occur more often in individuals predisposed to allergies.

Interaction
other medicinal

Hello my friends. I propose to continue our acquaintance with useful elements, without which the full functioning of the body is impossible. Our guest today is thiamine (aka aneurin). What it is? This element is also known as vitamin B1.

Thiamine is a water-soluble vitamin and is used in almost every cell of the body. It is especially important for maintaining adequate energy levels and a healthy metabolism.

The coenzyme of thiamine is thiamine diphosphate. Immediately after the B1 molecule enters the blood, it is sent to the liver. Here her “friends” are already waiting for her - 2 molecules of phosphoric acid. Having secured the support of magnesium, thiamine reacts with phosphorus - it turns into thiamine diphosphate.

This element travels further through the cells of the body as part of a coenzyme. In this form, the vitamin is more active, so it can participate in all ongoing biochemical processes.

In the body, B1 performs the following role:

• participates in energy metabolism;
• involved in the transmission of nerve impulses;
• supports the functioning of the heart muscle and nervous system;
• used in food digestion;
• participates in the formation of unsaturated fatty acids that protect the gallbladder and liver from the formation of stones;
• reduces inflammation on the skin (can even be used on the face) and improves the condition of the mucous membranes;
• takes part in hematopoiesis;
• has an analgesic effect;
• participates in the transfer of genetic information during cell division;
• valuable for hair – accelerates its growth;
• protects the body from early aging.

Without a sufficiently high level of thiamine, important processes cannot occur in the body. For example, molecules derived from carbohydrates and proteins (in the form of branched chain amino acids) cannot be properly used by the body.

Symptoms of vitamin B1 deficiency

A deficiency of this element can cause a serious malfunction in the body. And the following symptoms will help judge its deficiency:

• anorexia or sudden weight loss, lack of appetite;
• colitis;
• persistent digestive problems (one of them is diarrhea);
• inflammation of the nerve (neuritis);
• fatigue, irritability;
• deterioration of short-term memory;
• mental changes manifested in the form of depression or apathy;
• loss of sensitivity and reflexes;
• muscle weakness;
• blurred vision;
• confusion and hallucinations;
• inability to learn new information;
• heartache.

Thiamine deficiency is not very common in Western countries. It is believed that adults are less susceptible to this problem.

What products contain

Vitamin B1 can be found in many foods we consume daily. The main sources of thiamine are beans, nuts, seeds, and algae. Some types of meat (including liver) also contain this element, but in smaller quantities. Thiamine is also present in many whole grain products - bread, pasta, rice and others.

Most fruits and vegetables are not high in element B1. For example, peas and tomatoes contain low to moderate amounts of this vitamin. The table below will introduce you to the leaders in the presence of thiamine. Information is based on the daily intake for adults - 1.5 mg.

However, it is important to remember that this element can be destroyed during cooking. So, if the environment is alkaline, during the heat treatment of food products rich in B1, thiamine is destroyed. This happens already at 120 degrees. But in an acidic environment it behaves thermally stable. In this case, even at a temperature of 140 degrees, the loss of this element is minimal.

Low temperatures are also detrimental to thiamine. Therefore, when peas are frozen, their vitamin B1 content decreases.

Instructions for use and dosage

The body's daily need for vitamin B1 depends on age and gender. I will give the rules in force in our country.

For children:

For adults:

These elements, like other nutrients, are of course best obtained from food. Thiamine deficiency is not very common, because we consume it in sufficient quantities through food. Therefore, most often there is no need to take it additionally.

But there are exceptions to the rules. In some cases, it is necessary to additionally supply the body with vitamin B1. Then thiamine chloride/hydrochloride (these are trade names for vitamin B1), which is available in tablets or ampoules, is prescribed. The standard dose for severe thiamine deficiency may be up to 300 mg per day. However, such a prescription (which vitamin to take and in what quantity) can only be made by the attending doctor.

The following people need additional thiamine:

• sweet tooth;
• coffee lovers (if you drink more than 3 cups a day);
• alcoholics;
• residents of a climate region that is too hot or cold;
• hazardous workers in contact with mercury, arsenic or carbon disulfide;
• those losing weight who adhere to a low-calorie diet (type);
• people with AIDS, etc.

To date, there are no confirmed cases of serious side effects from an overdose of B1. As I already said, this vitamin is water soluble. It does not accumulate in tissue cells, but is easily excreted from the body along with urine. The upper permissible threshold for overdose has not yet been established.

Benefits of Vitamin B1

Interactions with drugs and products

At the moment, there are not many studies on the interaction of thiamine with drugs. However, it is known that antibiotics and contraceptives impair the absorption of vitamin B1. Therefore, before taking supplements, consult your doctor.

However, thiamine has “friends” and “enemies” ( 6 ) among food products. The first include nuts, cocoa, sesame seeds, spinach and other foods rich in magnesium. It is this element that helps vitamin B1 enter its active form. And then begin to perform important functions in the body. Vitamin C protects thiamine from destruction.

There is also a long list of “enemies”:

• Black tea and coffee. Tannin and caffeine have a special reaction with thiamine. They turn it into a form that will be difficult for the body to absorb. This can lead to digestive problems. But this is rare. This happens when a person drinks a large amount of coffee and tea per day.
• Thiaminase enzyme present in raw seafood. Recent studies have shown that eating freshwater fish and shellfish destroys thiamine. This problem occurs in people who eat large amounts of raw seafood. However, thermally processed fish and seafood do not cause vitamin B1 deficiency.
• Alcohol abuse and smoking impair the absorption of thiamine.
• Salt – "enemy" of vitamin B1. Therefore, it is better to salt dishes immediately before eating.

The enemy of this vitamin is - it destroys it. In addition, simultaneous intake of thiamine with vitamins and. They make it more difficult for B1 to be converted to its active form.

Well, now you know what kind of miracle element this thiamine is. You can also tell us which foods are rich in this vitamin. In general, you can safely take up your doctorate :) Or, as a last resort, give a lecture to your friends, and then drop the link to the article. Well, in order not to lose your qualifications,... There is still a lot of interesting things waiting for you ahead. And I say goodbye to you, bye-bye!