Vitamin B1 Thiamine Sources, Thiamine Deficiency Causes Beriberi Symptoms

Vitamin B1, aka thiamine, is an essential B vitamin. It’s required for metabolism and normal function of your heart, muscles and nervous system.  A deficiency leads to beriberi, a heart and nervous system disease.

Thiamin acts as a necessary coenzyme in aerobic energy production during glucose metabolism, aka Kreb’s cycle. So in a vitamin B1deficiency environment, many cells can’t get their energy needs met. One of the major outcomes is your lack of energy, or tiredness.

Vitamin B1 is also involved in the development of myelin sheath, which is a protective covering for most nerves. When it’s deficient, these coverings degenerate resulting in nerve pain, prickly sensations and nerve damage.

In addition, thiamine is vital for the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter used to relay messages between nerves and muscles. Hence, in its absence the muscle tone of your heart is compromised, as well as other muscles.

A few good food sources of thiamine are:

  • fish
  • tuna
  • pork
  • spinach
  • eggplant
  • soybeans
  • tomatoes
  • asparagus
  • green peas
  • mushrooms
  • wheat germ
  • dried beans
  • dairy products
  • romaine lettuce
  • sunflower seeds
  • brussels sprouts

Vitamine B1 is also found in fortified bread and cereals.

Thiamine deficiency and beriberi is almost exclusively encountered in those who abuse alcohol because excess alcohol makes it harder for the body to absorb and store thiamine. Coupled with the fact that drinking heavily frequently leads to malnutrition, another cause for vitamin B1 deficiency and beriberi.

Deficiency in vitamin B1 causes:

This can lead to a disease called beriberi. And dialysis and high dosage diuretics can increase your risk.

Beriberi is a disease that usually begins with a loss of feeling in your feet, and then weakness and pain while walking. In many cases, but not all, the your whole body swells. Other symptoms include:

Beriberi is rare because many foods are vitamin enriched.

Berberi can lead to heart failure, and when left untreated it is often fatal. In severe thiamine deficiency, brain damage can occur.

Alcoholism and malnutrition are not the only causes for beriberi. There is a rare inherited condition known as genetic beriberi. With this condition, your body loses the ability to absorb thiamine. This can happen slowly, so your thiamine deficiency symptoms may not happen until adulthood.

Treatment for vitamin B1 deficiency is thiamine supplements. If caught early enough, much of the muscle and nervous system damage is reversible.

If you eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods you shouldn’t find yourself deficient in thiamine.

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