Vitamin B1 is also known as Thiamine or Thiamin. It is a vitamin found in many foods which are required by all the tissues for the effective working of the body. It is a water-soluble vitamin and is carried through the bloodstream. It is essential for glucose, and metabolism, and it plays a key role in nerve, muscle, and heart functions. It is the main source that enables the body to use carbohydrates as energy. Thiamine is involved in many body functions including the nervous system, heart, and muscles. It is used in maintaining a positive mental attitude, preventing memory loss, enhancing learning ability, fighting stress, and increasing energy. Here’s a list of foods for vitamin b1, their benefits, and their effects on our bodies.
Benefits and effects of vitamin B1 on our body
1. Metabolism
Our body needs vitamin B1 to generate energy-carrying molecules. It breaks downs the food easily and converts carbohydrates into glucose which is a source of energy required by the body to function.
2. Improves immunity
Vitamin B1 is also known as the anti-stress vitamin. It strengthens the immune system and helps it to fight against pathogens effectively. It is known to improve the body’s ability to control mood and physiological impairments due to stress.
3. Brain
Vitamin B1 prevents any kind of complication with the brain and its nerves. It is involved in the flow of electrolytes into and out of muscles and nerve cells. It also treats peripheral neuritis which is an inflammation of the nerve outside the brain. Vitamin B1 appears to help with the development of the myelin sheath, a coat that wraps around nerves to protect them from damage and death.
4. Used as medicine
People with ulcerative colitis, persistent diarrhoea, and poor appetite intake thiamine. Those who are in a coma are given a thiamine injection. Sports players use it to improve their performance. It is also used in AIDS, canker sores, cataracts, vision problems, diabetic pain, heart diseases, etc. Studies have shown that it may improve the cognitive functions of Alzheimer’s disease. This vitamin is important for brain function.
5. Digestion
Vitamin B1 is needed for proper digestive functioning. It regulates the release of hydrochloric acid in the stomach which is needed for proper digestion of the food.
Deficiency, symptoms, and risks associated with it
Vitamin B1 deficiency is slightly uncommon. Its symptoms are subtle and often overlooked. A few of its major symptoms are:-
1. Loss of appetite
Thiamine regulates satiety, its deficiency alters its normal functioning which causes the body to feel full even when it may not be. This results in loss of appetite.
2. Poor reflexes
Thiamine deficiency adversely affects the motor nerves. Damage occurs in the nervous system causing changes in the reflexes. In cases of high deficiency reduced or absent knee and ankle reflexes and difficulty in coordinating and ability to walk are observed.
3. Fatigue
Due to loss of appetite, fatigue is a common factor. It can occur slowly or suddenly. The deficiency of vitamin B1 does not allow proper conversion of food into energy, which makes fatigue a common symptom.
4. Irritability
Signs of irritability can be seen mostly in infants with a deficiency of thiamine. It’s the first symptom that is noticed and can occur within days or weeks of deficiency.
5. Muscle weakness
Persistent, long-standing muscle weakness can be a sign of vitamin B1 deficiency. In such situations, patients are often recommended supplements by their doctors.
6. Vomiting and nausea
In rare cases, gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and nausea can be seen. It is more common in infants. The deficiency can also lead to abdominal pain.
Recommended daily average Of Vitamin B1
Males: 1.2 mg/day; Female: 1.1 mg/day
Foods for Vitamin B1
There are many natural ways to add thiamine to your diet. It is found in many foods and is vitally important to keep the body operating properly. Try taking these in proper quantity on daily bases to avoid yourself being supplemented by the thiamine supplement.
- Dried milk
- Nuts
- Oats
- Yeast
- Pork
- Eggs
- Soybeans
- Whole grain cereals
- Beans
- Lentils
- Yogurt
- Green Pees
- Fish
- Asparagus
- Acorn Squash
- Brown Rice
- Firm Tofu
- Flax Seeds
So, ensure that foods for vitamin b1 are included in your diet.