What Is Thiamin?
Known as Vitamin B1, thiamin was the very first B-Vitamin discovered. As an integral part of the B-complex spectrum of vitamins, thiamin is primarily involved in energy metabolism ? turning foods into a useable energy source for the body, known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). All of the B-vitamins work together to produce ATP, and each different vitamin is also involved in more specific aspects of the human body. Thiamin helps support healthy nerves and a healthy heart, is involved in positively influencing mood, and is also now considered useful for soothing heartburn.
How does Thiamin Work?
Besides playing an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein, thiamin is also necessary to maintaining heart health. The human heart pumps blood in and out of its chambers numerous times a day, feeding blood through vessels to the various parts of the human body ? it is the hardest working organ in the human body. Regular daily intake of Thiamin is essential to people suffering from congestive heart failure (CHF) because it has been shown to improve the heart's "pumping power." Thiamin has been found in very low levels in those people with CHF. Long term use of diuretic drugs, which are often prescribed to CHF patients, deplete the body's storage of Thiamin. One study of CHF patients on diuretics showed that taking at least 200 mg. of Thiamin each day for 6 weeks improved the heart's pumping power by 22%.
Not only does Thiamin help support a healthy working heart, it also helps promote healthy nerve function throughout the body. Although there are a number of diseases that affect nerve health, diabetics especially suffer from nerve damage, if the disease is uncontrolled, resulting in a numbing of the extremities, usually detected first as a tingling in the hands and/or feet. Thiamin may be used to support overall nerve health, ultimately minimizing numbness and tingling and helping to protect against this condition.
Often recommended by health professionals for mood disorders, the intake of Thiamin to boost mood is valuable, even when the vitamin is not deficient in the body. One study of a group of college-age women who were not deficient in Thiamin reported improved mood, energy and alertness after just 2 months of taking 50 mg. of Thiamin a day. And yet another study showed that taking 10 mg. of thiamin each day for 3 months improved energy levels in the elderly, along with lowered blood pressure, healthy weight loss and an improved quality of sleep. Recent reports claim that Thiamin may be helpful in treating the memory-loss associated with Alzheimer's disease, although this has not yet been fully proven.
Like all of the B-complex Vitamins, the body requires a steady dose of Thiamin each day to function at optimal levels because it is water-soluble. Deficiency can have a negative effect on mood, including increased irritability and depression, as well as result in increased muscle fatigue. Severe deficiency results in a condition known as beriberi, resulting in nerve damage, muscle loss, loss of mental abilities, paralysis and eventually death. Since Thiamin is a water-soluble vitamin, any excess that is taken in and not used by the body, will simply be excreted in the urine, so toxicity is not a concern.
Thiamin is commonly added back to milled foods marketed (as "enriching") to prevent deficiency. Thiamin is found specifically in enriched grain products, dried bean, nuts & seeds, lean pork and whole grains. It is important to be aware that drinking diuretics, such as coffee, tea, or soda, can deplete Thiamin levels so it is important to drink those in moderation, or be sure to take extra Thiamin.
Robert Nelson is a Nutrition Staff Writer for Super Vitamin Power, Distributors of the Vitamin Power line of nutritional products. All of the products needed for optimal health can be found at: http://www.supervitaminpower.com
personalized cleaning services Des Plaines ..Did you know that when we breath oxygen, it interacts... Read More
Vitamin B6 is the hardest working nutrient in the human... Read More
Difficulty sleeping can affect many aspects of life. People who... Read More
Riboflavin is a common name for vitamin B-2 and was... Read More
1. Do not refrigerate vegetables and fruits (raw and uncut)... Read More
Supplement is a word defined by Webster as such: Something... Read More
ZMA is a scientifically designed anabolic mineral formula containing zinc... Read More
Recently the news carried the story that a researcher had... Read More
Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid was first isolated from lemons... Read More
In a perfect world, your children would eat a balanced... Read More
Our bodies change as we age, and to remain vigorous,... Read More
A naturally occurring compound, L-Glutathione (Tathion,) has demonstrated that it... Read More
If you break the word apart, Nutra has to do... Read More
With a high cholesterol and heart disease in the family,... Read More
After nearly 4 years of research and development, Flavonoid Sciences... Read More
The body is just mind-bogglingly amazing. I mean, when you... Read More
L-tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that plays a role... Read More
Vision is one of our most precious senses. Without it... Read More
VITAMINS:Vitamins are major for Healthy life. Vitamin D may reduce... Read More
Vitamins and minerals play a major role in becoming healthy... Read More
Hyaluronic acid, a key component of human tissue, aiding the... Read More
Since the 1960???s there have been numerous controlled clinical trials... Read More
The growing numbers of health conscious people today living more... Read More
The ancient Egyptians had a cure for "night blindness". They... Read More
Are you concerned about taking care of your body before... Read More
family-safe home cleaners Arlington Heights ..At the present time, one out of ten adults have... Read More
I have good news for you! The answer is both... Read More
GlutImmune? is a very convenient high absorption source of glutamine.... Read More
Are you concerned about taking care of your body before... Read More
For women, calcium is one of the most important nutrients... Read More
You've probably been eating blueberries since you were a little... Read More
Not All Supplements are Created Equal. There are more supplements... Read More
I began a quest to examine over 25 "leading products"... Read More
Taurox is an excellent way to find true and healthy... Read More
Amino acid supplements and amino acid food intake can bring... Read More
Some fitness adherents are supplement crazy and spend money like... Read More
Fitness Supplement ? what is it?The term "fitness supplement" is... Read More
Fat Loss Supplement ? what is it?What is a fat... Read More
The Greek word "Glyco" means, "Sugar". Most people think of... Read More
What exactly are phytoestrogens, and how can we use them... Read More
After nearly 4 years of research and development, Flavonoid Sciences... Read More
I know protein is good for me, but do I... Read More
Nutritional supplements can play a key role in the health... Read More
Rarely has a fruit that has been so unknown to... Read More
Iron supplement - why iron?Why people need to use iron... Read More
We all know that vitamin C is one of the... Read More
Both types of unsaturated fatty acids are contained within neuronal... Read More
Food is one of our most basic needs. However, in... Read More
For years now we have heard that supplementing our diets... Read More
Coenzyme Q10 has exploded onto the health scene. This powerful... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |