Vitamin B1 was first discovered by Eijkman a Dutch physician in 1897 while working in a military hospital in Java.
Vitamin B1 in the form of Thiamine hydrochloride, is a white crystalline powder with a yeast like odour and a saltish taste. However, in soluble form it is destroyed soon.
FUNCTIONS IN THE BODY
Thiamine promotes growth, protects the heart muscle and stimulates brain action. It plays an important role in the normal functioning of the entire nervous system.It aids digestion, especially of carbohydrates. It has a mild diuretic effect that is it increases urine formation.
The vitamin improves peristalsis and helps to prevent constipation. It also helps to maintain the normal blood count and improves circulation and promotes a healthy skin.It protects against the damaging effect of lead poisoning and prevent oedema or food retention It also reduces fatigue, increases stamina and prevent premature ageing and senility by increasing mental alertness.
SOURCES
Wholegrain cereals especially wheat, rice and oats are generally considered to be the best sources of Thiamine. Legumes such as soya beans and Bengal gram are good sources of Thiamine.
Other good sources of this vitamin are vegetables such as dry lotus stems,capsicum,turnip greens and beet greens;food such as apricots and pineapples; nuts as groundnuts, pistachio nuts and mustard seeds; and animal foods like pork ,sheep liver and mutton.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS
A lack of sufficient Thiamine in the diet can cause loss of appetite, poor digestion, chronic constipation, loss of wight,mental depression, nervous exhaustion and insomnia. It can lead to muscular weakness, leg cramps, slow heartbeat, irritability, defective hydrochloric acid production in the stomach and consequent digestive disorders.
Insufficient supply of Thiamine in the body causes heart muscle to become lazy and fatigued and the auricles or the upper chambers of the heart lose their strength and gradually enlarge.
Prolonged gross deficiency can cause beriberi, neuritis and oedema.Lack of vitamin B1 can slow down circulation of blood to the scalp to the extent that hair may fall and new hair may grow very slow.Deficiency of Thiamine can be induced by excessive use of alcohol, dietary sugar, processed and refined foods.
BENEFITS AND HEALING PROPERTIES.
Thiamine is beneficial in the treatment of constipation and other digestive disorders, neuritis and other nervous troubles as well as mental depression.
It is life saving in the treatment of cardiovascular disease related to beriberi and infantile beriberi
Thiamine is also used with beneficial results in the treatment of alcoholism, insomnia and stress.
Vitamin B1 is indispensable for the metabolism of carbohydrates and the cells of the nervous system are entirely dependent on carbohydrates for their energy requirement.
The primary role of vitamin B1 is to ensure energy for nerve cells and to protect them from harm. This vitamin is used therapeutically in neurological disorders with muscular weakness and cramps.
It is particularly useful in all painful conditions like neuritis and polyneuritis, rheumatic neuralgias, sciatica and rheumatic pain.
Vitamin B1 deficiency may complicate existing heart disease. Therapeutic doses of vitamin B1 have been found especially beneficial in beriberi related heart disease which is caused by gross malnutrition and is commonly prevalent in chronic alcoholics.
Vitamin B1 is is particularly useful for carbohydrate and protein indigestion, loss of appetite, flatulence, constipation and and abdominal distension.
Other members of vitamin B group are Vitamin B2,Vitamin B3,Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6,Vitamin B8,Vitamin B9,Vitamin 12, Choline and Inositol.
PRECAUTIONS
There is no known toxic effect of Thiamine. Any excess is excreted in the urine and not stored in any degree in the tissues or organs.
However, rare symptoms of overdose include tremors, herps,oedema, nervousness, rapid heartbeat and allergies. In rare cases,excessive supply of this vitamin may also adversely affect thyroid and insulin production.
Source: Jackobian forum