The Vitamin B complex consists of eight water soluble vitamins. What is not consumed daily is excreted in the urine. We therefore depend on daily delivery, except for Vitamin B12 witch are stored in the liver.
Vitamin B12 is found naturally in meat and animal products. Pregnant vegetarians must therefore be taking Vitamin B12 supplements.
All pregnant women should take vitamin B supplements. Lack of these vitamins can cause children to be born with brain damage and spinal cord breeding. Lack of B vitamins causes the amount of homocysteine to increase in the blood. Too much homocysteine in the blood can damage the blood vessels and cause calcification and blood clots.
Homocysteine is also linked to birth defects and pregnancy complications, also linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Homocysteine is an amino acid found naturally in the blood, but which can be pathogenic in large amounts.
Vitamin B complex is an important antioxidant.
Vitamin B1 (Tiamine)
Definition
Vitamin B1 is composed of a nitrogen-containing and a sulfur-containing ring structure. Tiamine can not be heated. Tiamine is taken up in the small intestine and is not stored in any large amounts in the body. The largest amount is found in the heart, liver and brain. The excess amount of Tiamine is excreted with urine.
The unit of measurement for Vitamin B1 is milligram (mg).
Permitted Daily Dosage
In Norway, the maximum daily dose for Vitamin B1 is 2.4mg. Recommended daily doses are 1.5mg.
Vitamin B1 is found in small amounts in almost any food, except in white sugar, fat and oils. Most are found in beer and rice, besides flour, food, potatoes and fruit. Vegetables, fish and meat.
In cooking, 30-50% of the thiamine content is lost, and by canning up to 70%
Function
When carbohydrates are converted into fatty acids, it releases energy, and in this process is Tiamine important. Tiamine is called the "nerve vitamin", as it has an important function of supplying enough energy to the brain in the decomposition of carbohydrates. Vitamin B1 is "spoiled" by nicotine, alcohol, coffee and a lot of sugar.
In addition, Tiamine is important for normal growth, digestion and appetite.
Stress increases the need for Vitamin B1 and B6.
Furthermore, Tiamine is included in a number of biochemical reactions in the body. Tiamine may also have antioxidant effect in the body along with the other antioxidants like selenium, vitamin A, C and vitamin E
Practical Use
Abdominal symptoms of Tiamine resemble persistent nausea, tingling of the skin, fluid accumulation, mental symptoms, weight loss and the disease Beriberi.
This is characterized by edema, nausea, fatigue, weight loss and loss of appetite. As a preventative treatment, 5mg per day, children up to 0.5mg, is recommended.
Top athletes, smokers, alcoholics, elderly pregnant and breastfeeding should take 5-10mg daily. With much stress, Vitamin B1 can be beneficial in doses of 5-10mg daily. In mental disorders such as light depression, agitation and anxiety, 100mg Vitamin B1 may be beneficial daily over time.
It is important to take Tiamin with the other B vitamins, B complexes, as they work best together.
Vitamin B1 in the form of either Tiamine, Hydrochloride, Tiamine Mononitrate, Benfotiamine or Tiamine from Garlic is best taken.
Some of the vitamin B complexes available on the market are made from natural raw materials where beer and rice are the main sources.
There are no known side effects