Vitamins for Mental Health, VitaminB1 - Information and benefits
Mental Health > supplements-vitamins : VitaminB1
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 - thiamin
Other names
Thiamine, thiamine hydrochloride, thiamin
Summary
Thiamin is taken orally to prevent beriberi, a deficiency syndrome that affects the heart, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system. It is also used for energy production. Symptoms of thiamin deficiency include tingling and numbness in the hands and feet, irritability, fatigue, weakness and muscle cramps in the legs, headache, insomnia, indigestion, weight loss, constipation, irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure. More severe symptoms include mental impairment, muscle wasting paralysis, nerve damage, and eventually death. Thiamin is very safe and there are no major side effects or toxicities associated with its oral use.
There are also few drug or supplement interactions associated with its use. Blueberries, red beet root, red cabbage, black currants, and Brussels sprouts decrease thiamin levels as does drinking large quantities of tea and coffee. Drugs used for seizures, including Dilantin, can interfer with thiamine absorption. Alcohol consumption, oral contraceptives and diuretics will also cause decreased thiamin stores. The Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin B1 is 1.4 mg/day for men and 1.0 mg /day for women. Therapeutic doses range as high as 50 - 200 mg/day. Dietary sources of thiamin include Brewer's yeast, lean pork, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, soybeans, and whole grain brown rice.
Uses
Thiamin is taken orally to prevent beriberi, a deficiency syndrome that affects the heart, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system. It is a cofactor for many important reactions in the body and is needed with other B vitamins for energy production and the metabolism of carbohydrates. Vitamin B1 is needed by the nervous system for it to function properly. It helps to improve mood, boost memory in dementia and Alzheimer's disease and prevent memory loss in the elderly. It also helps to minimize numbness and tingling in the hands and feet as a result of diabetes. Thiamin has been used to treat depression, schizophrenia, and the psychosis related to alcohol withdrawal. It also strengthens the heart, especially in congestive heart failure.
Proposed Mechanism of Action
Thiamin serves as a cofactor in many enzymatic reactions. It combines with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to form thiamine diphosphate, a coenzyme in carbohydrate metabolism. It modulates chloride ion channels in the central nervous system and is a cofactor in synthesis of acetylcholine in the brain. It provides energy for the hexose monophosphate shunt and for the respiratory burst of phagocytes during inflammation.
Side Effects / Precautions
Oral vitamin B1 rarely causes side effects but a hypersensitivity reaction can occur. More often, reactions occur to the injectable form and include tingling, pain, sweating, nausea, restlessness, difficulty breathing, a transient decrease in blood pressure and death.
Interactions
Some foods have an effect on thiamin levels. Blueberries, red beet root, red cabbage, black currants, and Brussels sprouts decrease vitamin B1 levels. Drinking large quantities of tea and coffee, with or without caffeine, will also decrease levels. This is due to the tannins binding thiamin in the gut. Drugs used for seizures, including Dilantin, can interfer with thiamine absorption and supplements may be necessary. Alcohol consumption, oral contraceptives and diuretics will also cause decreased thiamin stores.
Magnesium supplements may need to be taken with thiamin as magnesium is necessary to convert thiamin to its active form.
Symptoms of Deficiency
Symptoms of thiamin deficiency include tingling and numbness in the hands and feet, irritability, fatigue, weakness and muscle cramps in the legs, headache, insomnia, indigestion, weight loss, constipation, irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure. More severe symptoms include mental impairment, muscle wasting paralysis, nerve damage, and eventually death.
Symptoms of Toxicity
The body eliminates this water-soluble vitamin so no toxicity has been seen
Dosage and Administration
The Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin B1 is 1.4 mg/day for men and 1.0 mg /day for women. Therapeutic doses are as high as 50 - 200 mg/day. Patients with dementia may be supplemented with up to 8 gm/day. Vitamin B1 should be taken with meals since the acid produced for digestion increases its absorption. If large amounts are taken daily, it is best to divide the dose and take a portion with each meal. The requirement for thiamin increases as the caloric intake increases. Higher amounts are also needed in people eating high carbohydrate diets or lots of junk food and those who have increased metabolism due to fever, exercise, overactive thyroid, pregnancy and stress.
Thiamine works closely with the other B vitamins and is best to taken as a complex. The B vitamins should be taken in a 1 for 1 ratio. For example, a "B complex 50" contains 50 mg of the vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, choline, inositol and PABA and 50 micrograms of vitamin B12, folic acid and biotin. Additional supplemental amounts of vitamin B1 can be added to this combination to suit individual needs.
Food Source
Brewer's yeast, lean pork, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, soybeans, whole grain brown rice, are major sources of thiamine. Thiamine is destroyed by sulfites, a common food additive and by moist heat and alkalis such as baking soda. Cooking also destroys thiamine in foods.
Other Supplements to Consider
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin
Vitamin B3 (niacin/niacinamide)
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin, hydroxycobalamin)
Folic acid
Inositol