Glactone: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin B1 (also named Thiamine) was discovered in the quest to find a cure for beriberi. Thiamine (lit. sulfur-containing vitamin) is a water soluble vitamin essential for health. Recognized as early as 2700BC by the Chinese, beriberi was an ancient scourge of sailors on long sea voyages. There are two forms of beriberi. Untreated wet beriberi can cause congestive heart failure and eventually death. Dry beriberi causes loss of feeling in the legs and hands, paralysis in the lower legs, vomiting and mental confusion.
In 1884 AD a Japanese Naval doctor, Kanehiro Takaki was the first to document the correlation between a poor diet and Beriberi. Western sailors who consumed fresh fruit and vegetables were less likely to develop the disease. Takaki, attributing the disease to nutritional deficiency ran counter to the generally accepted medical opinion of the time that beriberi was caused by a bacteria passed from one sailor to another.
In 1897 Dutch physicians Eijkman and Grijns, both doctors in the military, experimentation on hens determined that beriberi was due to a protein deficiency. Doctor Eijkman later received a Noble Prize because his experiments led to the discovery of micro-nutrients or what is commonly termed vitamins.
In 1912 to 1926 an international group of scientists, Casimir Funk, Barend Jensen, Willem Donath and Robert Williams isolated and determined the chemical structure of Vitamin B1.
Thiamine was first recognized for the cure and prevention of beriberi by the British Medical Research Council in 1927.
Hans Krebs mapped out the series of complex chemical reactions that take place in the human body that allow food to be metabolized thus, the micro-nutrient level to adsorb the body’s cells. This series of reactions is known as the Krebs’s Cycle. Vitamin B1 was one of the first micro-nutrients s to be mapped.
Thiamine also aids in the conversion of sugar to glucose in the body. This process is called the Pentose Phosphate Pathway.
In addition to the prevention of beriberi, thiamine is essential to the prevention of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a brain disorder common in alcoholics. Those with Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome suffer from mental confusion, permanent memory loss and impaired short-term memory. Nutrisystem deals provide sufficient nutrition so beriberi will not be a problem on the diet. Nutrisystem coupon codes can provide savings on nutritionally balanced products.
Foods rich in Vitamin B1 one are bacon, whole wheat pastas, whole wheat bread, pork, peas, nuts,rice bran and lamb kidneys. The RDA for Vitamin B1 is 1.5 mgs.
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