| Food Acupuncture: Vitamin B1 |
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Food Acupuncture: Vitamins & MineralsSmall but significant: Tiny amounts big results Structuring/building/connecting/energizing/repairing/healing… The power of vitamins comes from the power of real food Vitamin B1 – water solubleThiamine is known as a carbohydrate burner as its active form is involved in several enzyme functions associated with the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and fatty acids. In fact, without the assistance of vitamin B1, our bodies cannot readily use carbohydrates, leading to significant problems with energy production. Sources of vitamin B1:Sources rich in thiamine are meats, milk, cheese, eggs, yeast, seeds, nuts, legumes (beans and lentils), water melon, brown rice, whole and enriched grains, and cereals made from whole grains. Most nutritious foods have some thiamine, and as such, deficiency in the western world is rare.
The process of milling rice and wheat flour removes the thiamine from these foods. Therefore, white rice and flour, and products derived from these, are often fortified with synthetic thiamine in Western countries. Furthermore, the vitamin is denatured at high pH and temperatures; hence, cooking and baking may decrease the thiamine presence in those foods. Functions:Our bodies need vitamin B6 to break down protein and build red blood cells. Vitamin B6 plays a vital role in the function of over 100 enzymes, mostly involved in protein metabolism. Vitamin B6 is also involved in brain development during pregnancy and infancy, as well as the immune function. Together with vitamin B9 and vitamin B12, vitamin B6 can effectively reduce homocysteine levels, but subjects’ cardiovascular events—high levels associated with an increase risk of cardiovascular disease—do not reduce. Recent clinical research supports the use of vitamin B6 to treat morning sickness and suggests a possible benefit in the management of premenstrual syndrome.
Vitamin B1 deficiency:Thiamine deficiency can result from poor dietary choices, but also from reduced gastrointestinal absorption, increased metabolic requirements, excessive loss of thiamine from the body, consumption of anti-thiamine factors in food, or a combination of these factors. Both institutionalisation and poverty are known to increase the likelihood of inadequate thiamine intake in the elderly. Toxicity:Thiamine is likely to be safe when taken orally in appropriate amounts, although rare allergic reactions and skin irritation have been known to occur. Return to the list of B vitamins. Return to the overall list of vitamins and minerals.
Related material Read the first article in the series, on what vitamins are and why we need them. Read the second article in the series on how vitamins work. Read the third article in the series on supplements. Read the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamins and minerals Read how supplements are regulated. In A ticking bomb, Professor Alpar discussed the critical situation in antibiotics with the late Professor Vivian Moses. A brief biography of Professor Alpar can be found here.
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