Vitamin B-1

Vitamin B-1 is essential for the body to be able to use carbohydrate as an energy source as well as for metabolising amino acids. A person's requirements for Vitamin B-1 are increased when they are relying heavily on carbohydrates for their main source of energy. In humans, Vitamin B-1 can be synthesized in the large intestine as thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP). The main circulating form of Vitamin B-1 is thiamine diphosphate (TDP) which is found almost completely in red blood cells. TPP is too large a molecule to be absorbed across the intestinal mucosa. It requires the use of an enzyme to cleave the smaller thiamin molecule out of the compound. TDP is a cofactor for several enzymes - pyruvate dehydrogenase and transketolase (activity is sometimes measured as an indicator of vitamin B1 deficiency) and thiamine triphosphate is thought to be important in nerve conduction.

Vitamin B-1 is needed to process carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Every cell of the body requires Vitamin B-1 to form the fuel the body runs on - ATP. Nerve cells require vitamin B1 in order to function normally. Vitamin B-1 assists in blood formation, carbohydrate metabolism, and the production of hydrochloric acid, which is important for proper digestion.

Vitamin B-1 also enhances circulation and optimizes cognitive activity and brain function. Vitamin B-1 has a positive effect on energy, growth, normal appetite, and learning capacity, and is needed for muscle tone of the intestines, stomach, and heart. Vitamin B-1 acts as an antioxidant, protecting the body from generative effects of aging, alcohol consumption, and smoking. May improve glucose tolerance and retard arterial blockages, especially in diabetics.

Vitamin B-1 is a water soluble vitamin that readily enters and exits the body daily so it must be taken internally on a daily basis.

Vitamin B-1is helps maintain a normal metabolism and helps burn carbohydrates. Vitamin B-1is a group of water-soluble vitamins that participates in many of the chemical reactions in the body. It is also called thiamine, thiamin and aneurin.

Vitamin B-1is plays an essential role as a cofactor in key reactions in carbohydrate metabolism. It is also involved in the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids and may have non-coenzyme (non-cofactor) roles in excitable cells.