Vitamin B1 - Important for the nervous system

Vitamin B1 - Important for the nervous system

Vitamin B1 is a water-soluble vitamin, which plays an important role in the body especially for the function of the nervous system. If too little vitamin B1 is taken, vitamin B1 deficiency occurs, which can cause severe disturbance in the body. In order to prevent vitamin B1 deficiency, consumption of foods such as cereal products, pork, certain species of fish and legumes is particularly recommended.

Effects of vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 has a decisive influence on the central and peripheral nervous systems of the body. Here it is particularly important for the excitatory transmission between nerves and muscles: Vitamin B1 affects the neurotransmitter GABA and serotonin and acts as an antagonist of acetylcholine. Vitamin B1 is also involved in the metabolism of some neurotransmitters. In addition, it plays an important role in the regeneration of the nervous system after illness or trauma.

In addition, vitamin B1 as coenzyme is involved in the production of energy in foods. Therefore, a vitamin B1 deficiency, especially in carbohydrate metabolism can cause serious problems.

Vitamins B1 and Vitamin B6

Vitamins B1 and B6 are used together to treat diseases of the nervous system. They influence various metabolic reactions and support the body's own functions in the nervous system. Both vitamins are given together for the same condition, as they work better in combination than when taken separately.

Vitamins B1 and Vitamin B6 are particularly important for the regeneration of the nervous system: they support the body's own repair measures by promoting the growth of nerve fibers. In addition, they are involved in the regeneration of damaged nerves and have an analgesic effect.

Vitamin B1 in foods

The daily requirement of an adult for vitamin B1 is between 1.0 and 1.3 milligrams. Stress, intake of pills at birth control, alcohol as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding may increase the need slightly. The daily dose of vitamin B1 can be covered, for example, by the consumption of the following foods:

50 grams of sunflower seeds
100 grams of pork
200 grams of oatmeal
200 grams of wild rice
200 grams of soybeans
300 grams of palms or tuna
Also, higher amounts of B1 are found in foods such as whole wheat flour, beef and salmon, legumes, dairy products and potatoes. A healthy, balanced diet usually helps prevent vitamin B1 deficiency.

When preparing the food you should remember that vitamin B1 is water-soluble and thus part of the vitamin goes into the cooking water during cooking. Since vitamin B1 is also very sensitive to heat, foods with vitamin B1 should be prepared as slowly as possible.

Vitamin B1 deficiency: causes and prevention

If the body is not supplied with vitamin B1 over a two-week period, the reserves stored in the body have already emptied the remaining 50 percent. After 40 days at the latest, the B1 vitamin reserves are completely used up - so people are dependent on a regular intake of vitamin B1.

The most common cause of vitamin B1 deficiency is malnutrition and / or alcohol abuse. However, due to stress, smoking, competitive sports, intake of pills at birth control and pregnancy, the risk of vitamin B1 deficiency increases significantly.

To prevent vitamin B1 deficiency, you should consider the following aspects in addition to a healthy diet:

Consumption of refined sugars increases the need for vitamin B1. Therefore, especially children should not eat too many sweets.
Acid-binding drugs, sulfur-like preservatives, black tea and alcohol reduce the absorption of vitamin B1.
Alcohol also promotes the breakdown of vitamin B1 in the body.

Vitamin B1 deficiency: typical symptoms

A slight vitamin B1 deficiency may be more common. It is characterized by symptoms such as indigestion and lack of appetite and by noticeable central nervous disorders. These include, for example, fatigue, mood swings and memory weakness. It can also cause shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat and water retention (edema).

If there is vitamin B1 deficiency, nervous system disorders such as paralysis, sensory and brain dysfunction can occur. In addition, there may be a drop in the pH of the blood (metabolic acidosis), which can cause a failure of the heart.

Diseases Beri Beri

If you have high-speed vitamin B1 over an extended period, it can lead to conditions called Beri Beri. This episode of a vitamin B1 deficiency occurs today, especially in developing countries. In Beri Beri it comes in addition to the symptoms already mentioned above in addition to symptoms such as heart failure or depression.

A characteristic symptom of the vitamin deficiency disorder, however, is a wasted skeletal muscle, which leads to a significant problem in function, especially on the legs. Muscular atrophy makes it more difficult for people affected by walking.

Basically Berries Berries distinguish between two different forms:

Dry Berry Berry describes the neurological axis form of vitamin B1 deficiency, in which mainly neuritic diseases occur. These include, for example, muscle weakness, reflex disorder and sensory disorders.
Wet Berry Berry describes the sore-shaped form of vitamin deficiency, which often causes edema and heart failure.

Overdose of vitamin B1

A high dose of vitamin B1 is not possible through the intake of food, as useless vitamin B1 is eliminated in the kidneys. In addition, the body can absorb only small amounts of vitamin B1 through the digestive tract. Thus, an overdose can be caused only by the injection of a high dose - about one hundred times the daily dose.

Overdose can cause an allergic reaction as well as headaches, cramps, flushing, nausea and arrhythmia. To prevent obesity, vitamin B1 should be given orally and not given as an infusion or syringe.