Though beriberi is rarely seen in the United States anymore, it can still be observed in developing countries where people have switched from a diet high in whole grain rice to one dependent on mulled rice. Why? Getting rid of the husk also eliminates vitamin B1, also known as thiamine.
Of course, plenty of people in the United States avoid whole grains and the vitamins (like B1) that come with them, but if you look at the labels of foods with mulled and bleached flour, you will likely notice vitamin B1 or thiamine among a list of vitamins and minerals that are added to the food. B1 protects you, even if you avoid B1 in its natural state.
In the United States today, excessive alcohol use is the far more likely cause of beriberi, as it destroys vitamin B1 - along with plenty of other vitamins. Maybe somebody will create a whole-grain beer - or serve shots with vitamin B1 on the side.
1) Because vitamin B1 is not stored by the body, it must come from dietary sources.
2) Vitamin B1 is vital to the production of energy.
3) Vitamin B1 helps to convert glucose to fat - but that’s not a reason to avoid thiamine.
4) For nerves to conduct information properly they require vitamin B1.
5) The muscles, heart, liver, kidneys, and brain are where most of your body’s B1 is found.
6) Little danger exists of taking a toxic amount of vitamin B1.
7) Thiamine (vitamin B1) may help combat maple syrup urine disease.
8) Thiamine (vitamin B1) can be found in a free form or as a protein phosphate complex.
9) The respiration process is aided by vitamin B1.
10) One of the first signs of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency in animals is weight loss.
While the liver damage suffered by alcoholics is partly responsible for vitamin B1 deficiency, anybody with liver problems should be aware of the risk of not enough vitamin B1 being processed. Taking more than the normally required amounts of thiamine may be recommended by a physician. An extreme lack of vitamin B1 may produce symptoms of declining mental functions and deteriorating physical skills.
The best sources of vitamin B1 are whole grains, pork, yeast, red and organ meats, nuts, spinach, and legumes.
The recommended daily intake for adult males is 1.2 mg of vitamin B1 and 1.1 mg of B1 for women.
Copyright © Dennis Becker, 2004.
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