This vitamin is found widely distributed in foods, but the only foods considered good sources of thiamin are pork and whole grain or enriched grain products. The richest sources are yeasts, and liver, however, cereal grains comprise the most important dietary sources of the vitamin in most human diet.
Thiamin functions as coenzymes in the metabolism of carbohydrates and branched-chain amino acids.
Severe thiamin deficiency results in the nerve and heart disease beriberi; less severe deficiency results in nonspecific signs: malaise, loss of weight irritability and confusion.
Thiamin deficiency can arise in humans due to various reasons such as a genetic defect in the thiamin transporter, poor nutrition and diuretic treatment.
Alcoholism is often found correlated with thiamin deficiency. In addition, both alcoholism and thiamin deficiency are found associated with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
What is thiamin?
