Vitamin B1 is also known as thiamine. Thiamine can be found naturally in high quantities in goji berries, pork, yeast, algae, and whole grains. It can also be found in smaller amounts in cereal, oatmeal, eggs, sunflower seeds, kale cabbage, potatoes, asparagus, cauliflower, and oranges. The body needs 1.4 mg of thiamine daily to function properly, but if as much as 50mg has been taken to increases brain power. Thiamine is stored in many parts of the body including tissue, the heart, the brain, and bones.

Deficiency

The body does not make its own thiamine and therefore must obtain it through the food that it eats. Since the body stores the thiamine that is eaten in the tissue, the heart, the brain, and bones, they are all affected when the daily recommended intake is not met. Specifically the brain and the heart are the most affected. At first, if adequate amounts of thiamine are not ingested then the person can become irritable, loose weight, and become confused. If this continues for a long period of time the person will get the cardiovascular and nervous system disease beriberi and soon after die. A deficiency can occur two ways; by not eating enough thiamine, or by eating too much thiaminase, which cancels out the thiamine in the body. Foods rich in thiaminase are raw freshwater fish, tea, coffee, and alcohol.

Toxicity

There are not any symptoms reported with overdosing on thiamine. Therefore there is not a set maximum daily amount.

Written by Kris from Dehumidifiers