The Alphabet of Vitamins – Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

You hear all about them in every day conversation but what do you really know about vitamins? Everyone knows that they’re good for us but how are they good for us? Give us the details, please!

Vitamin B1, or Thiamin, is water-soluble and acts as a coenzyme essential for turning your diet into cellular energy. It helps metabolize components of your diet, making it available as energy for your body. It also supports cell division, and systems throughout your body, including skin and brain.

You can find Thiamin in brown rice, pork, and squash and without it, eating would be little more than chewing and tasting. It helps convert what you eat into energy your body can use. This role in energy metabolism comes from its ability to act as a coenzyme. Forms of Thiamin help other enzymes start chemical reactions that break down carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. The process turns starches, sugars, amino acids, and fats into usable energy for the cells of your body.

Thiamin isn’t just involved in energy metabolism – it has incredible impact on cellular sugar production, making it essential for the synthesis of DNA and RNA. Vitamin B1 also helps build fatty acids and supports healthy cellular function.

This important vitamin is stored in the liver, but not for long so you need to constantly replenish your stockpile through a healthy diet or vitamin supplementation. Those with a limited diet or pregnant women are at risk for B1 deficiency but don’t be afraid of eating too much Thiamin-rich foods because even very high oral doses of Vitamin B1 haven’t been found to cause adverse effects, only minor gastrointestinal distress has been reported.

So let’s review – Thiamin is an essential water-soluble vitamin critical for turning into all ingested foods into energy for all your organs and your entire body. All extremely good reasons to make Vitamin B1 a part of your daily life and nutritional plan.