VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE) – For Calm Nerves

Vitamin B1 or Thiamine is absorbed from the small intestine and are found in large amounts in brain, heart, kidneys, liver and skeletal muscles. They cannot be stored to a large extent in the human body and have to be taken regularly.

Functions in the Body
It plays an important role in the normal function of the entire nervous system. It promotes growth, stimulates brain action and protects the heart muscle. It prevents constipation, fluid retention, premature aging and senility.

Sources
Legumes such as Chickpea and soybean, wholegrain cereals (unpolished and unrefined) like oats, rice and wheat are good sources of thiamine. Vegetables like beet greens, capsicum, dry lotus stems, turnip greens, Fruits such as apricots and pineapple, Nuts like groundnuts, mustard seeds and pistachio and Animal foods like mutton, sheep liver and pork are good sources of Vitamin B1.
(RDA – Men – 1.3mg, Women – 1mg, Children – 1.1mg, Infant – 50mcg/kg)

Deficiency Symptoms
Using excess of alcohol, dietary sugar and processed and refined food can induce deficiency of thiamine. Insufficient supply of thiamine may lead to enlarged heart, loss of appetite, chronic constipation, sleeplessness, hair loss, mental depression, nervous exhaustion, consequent digestive disorders, irritability, muscular weakness and leg cramps. Prolonged deficiency can cause beriberi, fluid retention and neuritis.

Healing and Therapeutic Properties 
It is life saving in the treatment of cardiovascular disease related to infantile beriberi and beriberi. When taken in large therapeutic doses it is beneficial in the treatment of neuritis and other nervous troubles, mental depression, constipation and other digestive disorders. It is also used to treat alcoholism, stress and sleeplessness.

Infantile beriberi can be treated via mother’s milk. The mother should receive the prescribed dosage twice daily and the infant once a day. Thiamine is used therapeutically to treat cramps and muscular weakness, which are the result of neurological disorders. It is particularly useful in treating all painful conditions like neuritis, sciatica and rheumatic pain. Beriberi related heart disease, caused by malnutrition (common in chronic alcoholics) can be treated with therapeutic doses of Thiamine. Gastro-intestinal disorders like loss of appetite, abdominal distention, constipation and flatulence are also effectively treated.
     
Precautions
When there is overdose, rare symptoms include allergies, edema, rapid heartbeat, nervousness and tremors. In rare cases their maybe adverse effect on insulin and thyroid production.