Vitamin B1
Facts & Recommendations
Vitamin B1, also called Thiamine, is essential for carbohydrate metabolism as well as for nerve and muscle function. The importance of this vitamin was discovered in the early 1900s in the context on of Beriberi disease.
Sources
Long-grain brown rice, whole grain cereals, lean meat, fish, nuts, beans and seeds are good sources of vitamin B1.
Properties
The water-soluble vitamin B1 is extremely sensitive to light and heat.
Avoid, if possible, prolonged cooking of foods enriched with vitamin B1 in order to preserve them.
Thiamine is absorbed through the small intestine and mainly stored in the liver, but in very small amounts. Since it has a short half-life, a contnuous supply of this vitamin is necessary.
The most commonly used forms of thiamine in dietary supplements are thiamine mononitrate and thiamine hydrochloride.
Functions
Thiamine plays an essential role in energy metabolism and therefore in the growth, development and function of cells.
Consequences of a vitamin B1 deficiency
In a balanced diet with an adequate supply of whole grain products, a nutrient deficiency of vitamin B1 is rare.
However, excessive vomiting during pregnancy can lead to a reduction of thiamine. In this case, prenatal vitamins containing thiamine and other B vitamins may be beneficial.
There is an increased need for thiamine during pregnancy and lactation. A defiency in pregnancy can lead to metabolic problems affecting the placenta and the fetus.
Recommendations
Vitamin B1 und vitamin B6 have proven to be even more effective when taken togehter.
Nausema®, which contains both vitamins and vitamin B12, was specially developed to alleviate the symptoms of the so-called morning sickness.