« back to list of supplements

Vitamin B1

Thiamine

Thiamine was discovered mainly through the discovery of its deficiency syndrome beriberi which is characterised by a polyneuritic paralysis that affects mainly the lower limbs. Beriberi was found in the Far East but became prevalent during the 19th Century, when the introduction of steam-powered rice mills began to permit highly efficient polishing and thus removing this vital nutrient. Beriberi can also present as a 'wet' form of the disease, characterised by heart failure and by widespread oedema, especially in the lower limbs. Thiamine functions as part of an enzyme, thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), which is required for energy production, carbohydrate, fat, and alcohol metabolism, and nerve cell function.