A water-soluble vitamin discovered in 1926. Essential for carbohydrate metabolism. Severe deficiency of results in the disease beriberi.
A water-soluble vitamin of the B-group, also termed vitamin B,, which is found in whole cereals, DALS, nuts, meat and liver; its deficiency leads to loss of appetite, muscular weakness and moodiness.
Member of the B-complex group of vitamins essential for functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems and for metabolism; also called thiamin; vitamin B1; antiberiberi factor.
A nutrient that is essential for energy production from carbohydrates and for nerve and muscle function.
The British Pharmacopoeia name for vitamin B1. Also known as aneurine, it is found in the husks of cereal grains. Its deficiency may be produced by too careful milling of rice, or by a diet of white bread to the exclusion of brown bread and other cereal sources of this vitamin. The resulting disease is a form of neuritis with muscular weakness and heart failure known as beriberi. The best sources of this vitamin are wholemeal flour, bacon, liver, egg-yolk, yeast and the pulses. The daily requirement is dependent, among other things, upon the total food intake, and has been estimated to be in the region of 0-5 mg of thiamine per 1,000 calories, increased during pregnancy to 2 mg daily as a minimum.
Thiamine, a crucial B vitamin, plays a vital role in the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates and fats. Individuals with alcoholism may experience complications, including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, due to a deficiency of this essential vitamin.