The Benefits of Vitamin B1: Are You Getting Enough?

Benefits of Vitamin B1

It's incredible to think that a single enzyme or molecule can radically affect the your health condition. Vitamin B1 is no different.

Vitamin B1 (a.k.a. Thiamine), after absorbed in the intestine and absorbed by your body's cells, is converted into a complex called Thiamine Pyrophosphate. This is an incredibly important enzyme required for critical reactions in the body, especially those involving carbohydrate metabolism and the production of ATP (this is your body's energy currency - without ATP, you don't live!).

Thiamine is also involved in an enzyme called transketolase that not only provides substrates for producing quick energy, but also releases a byproduct required for the synthesis of fats (no, this is not a way to lose weight!).

Transketolase is also important for the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that relays an electrical signal between nerve cells. It's the main neurotransmitter of your nervous system - so, a deficiency would show rapid, dramatic neurological problems. And, because your digestive system is governed by a large complex of nerves, intestinal functions will be compromised (along with anything else revolving around nervous function).

Recommended Daily Allowance

As with most other vitamins, the recommended intake depends on age, gender and body type. Here's a general table to help you put things into perspective.

Remember, most of these values you don't need to worry about simply because you'll get them from your diet, assuming you're getting enough to eat! Here're some great foods sources of Thiamine...

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