Health Benefits of Thiamine

15 July, 2009 No Comment

Thiamine is also known as Thiamin or Vitamin B1. It is an aneuric hydrochloride that belongs to the family of B group of vitamins. This water soluble compound is colorless and insoluble in alcohol. Umetaro Suzuki of Japan accidentally discovered Thiamine while he was conducting research on rice bran for combating beriberi. He coined the term aberic acid for it.

Later on in 1926, Jansen and Donath crystallized it and christened it aneurin. But it was in 1935 that the name Thiamine was given to it by Robert R Williams who also defined its chemical composition.

Health benefits of Thiamine:
Vitamin B1 is required for carrying out various functions in the body and has a number of uses. It is known to play a vital role in the process of metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids to release energy for performing a number of tasks everyday. It aids in the normal growth and development of all body tissues and is essential for the performance of our heart, digestive system and nervous system.

Thiamine is widely recommended for the treatment of various ailments including fatigue, anxiety, depression, nervousness and beriberi. It is required for the formation of blood in the body and also helps increase blood circulation.

Research tells us that Thiamine is needed for the production of certain constituents of cells such as acetylcholine and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) as well as hydrochloric acid that is vital to maintain the health of the digestive tract.

Thiamine is also great for improving memory and concentration and aids in enhancing various learning processes. It is needed for the growth of body tissues in children and is also recommended for the treatment of cataract. Vitamin B1 helps alleviate the symptoms of arthritis and also aids in the treatment of infertility.

Food sources of Thiamine:
The best dietary sources of this vitamin include seafood, egg yolk, wheat bran, sunflower seeds and pork. Thiamine deficiency is marked by the disease beriberi, fatigue, edema, constipation and enlarged liver.

It can also cause muscle pain and soreness, forgetfulness and weight loss. The Recommended Daily Allowance for Thiamine is 1.4 mg/day for males and 1.0 mg/day for females.

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