Vitamin B1 (thiamin)

• Energy metabolism
  In its active form TPP (thiamine pyrophosphate, a compound with magnesium), vitamin B1 is a vital coenzyme for energy production in the mitochondria of cells and in the construction of molecules for hereditary material (ribose-5-phosphate).
• Nervous system
  Vitamin B1 is found in the cell walls of nerve cords and thus participates in the transmission of nerve impulses to the brain and peripheral nerve cells. It is also important for the metabolism of important neurotransmitters in the brain.
• Protein synthesis
  Thiamine appears to play a role in the synthesis of collagen; therefore, thiamine deficiency is associated with decreased production of collagen and worsened wound healing. 

• Alcohol consumption
  With regular, heavy alcohol consumption, vitamin B1, like all B vitamins, is increasingly excreted and must be substituted accordingly.

• Heart failure
  Administration of 200 to 300 mg of vitamin B1 per day for 1 to 4 weeks can significantly improve cardiac output.

• Physical training, physical activity and sports
  Hard physical work and athletic training increase the need for thiamine.

• Neuralgia, chronic pain
  Since thiamine deficiency can lower pain thresholds, thiamine administration is able to relieve chronic pain.

• Central nervous system disorders
  Vitamin B1 may be beneficial in Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and depression.

Vitamin B1 has a wide therapeutic range. Amounts of >200 mg may cause dizziness in some people. In a few cases, severe allergic reactions occurred as a result of intravenous administration of thiamine (>400 mg).