Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

General Characteristics of Vitamins

 Structure
Inactive Active

aka: Thiamin di-phosphate

Thiamin is composed of a pyrimidine group + thiazole ring

 Functions
Mostly in
liver, but
brain,
muscle &
kidney.

Hydrolysis or dephosphorylation of thiamin’s phosphorylated forms occurs

in tissues throughout the body.
 Digestion and Absorption
• Digestion
• Plant: free form
• Animal: 95% phoshorylated form mainly TPP
• Digestion of phosphorylated forms by intestinal phosphatases

• Absorption
• Mainly in the jejunum and duodenum, in the free form
• Via active and passive absorption
• Potential for destruction
• By anti-thiamin factors (thiaminases in raw fish)*
• By Polyhydroxyphenols (tannic & caffeic acid)
• Alcohol reduces thiamin absorption. (by blocking absorption transporters)

*Polyhydroxyphenols, which are thermostable, are found in coffee, tea, betel nuts, and certain
fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, black currants, Brussels sprouts, and red cabbage.
 Transport and Storage

• Transport:
• Blood (90% in RBCs as TPP/TDP)
• Smaller amounts as
• Free
• TMP
• Bound to albumin
• Storage: Multiple sites
• Skeletal muscle (50%)
• Liver
• Heart
• Kidney
• Brain
 Functions of Thiamin

 Metabolism and release of energy from carbohydrates

 Conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA (pyruvate dehydrogenase)
 Reactions in the Krebs cycle (α ketoglutarate dehydrogenase)

 Pentose phosphate pathway (generation of NADPH and ribose)

 Branched-chain amino acid metabolism (maple syrup disease)

 Membrane conduction of nerve tissue (In nerve membranes, TPP is thought to

activate ion transport and regulation of sodium channels and acetylcholine
receptors)
 See next slide

See next slide

The Role of Thiamin (TPP) in the Krebs Cycle

-
 *

Pentose phosphate
pathway

* The oxidative portion of the pentose phosphate pathway generates

NADPH, which is needed for fatty acid synthesis
 Metabolism and Excretion

• Degradation:
• Begins with cleavage at the methylene bridge to separate pyrimidine
ring and thiazole
• From there, a multitude of metabolites are possible

• Both intact thiamin (and TDP and TMP) and degradation products can be
excreted
• Major pathway for excretion is urine
 Recommended Intakes
• RDA’s
• Adult females 1.1 mg
• Adult males 1.2 mg
 Biochemical Assessment

Because transketolase decreases early in thiamin deficiency,

measurement of its activity in red blood cells (70–180 nmol/L) has
been used to assess thiamin nutritional status.
Dietary Sources
Sources of Thiamin (B1)
 Dietary Sources
Food Serving Thiamin
Lean pork 3 oz 0.72 mg
White rice, enriched 1c 0.26 mg
White rice, un-enriched ½c 0.04 mg
White bread, enriched 1 slice 0.11 mg
Pecans 1 oz 0.19 mg
Lentils ½c 0.17 mg
Orange 1 piece 0.10 mg
 Deficiency: Beriberi (weakness)

• Individuals at risk
• Related to poor intake, increased need and/or decreased
absorption
• General symptoms
• Anorexia and weight loss
• Cardiovascular symptoms
• (hypertrophy, altered heart rate)
• Neurological symptoms
• (apathy, confusion, irritability, memory loss)
Types
Beriberi results from a chronic low thiamin intake,
especially if coupled with a high carbohydrate intake

• Dry beriberi (Adults)

• Muscle weakness, wasting, peripheral neuropathy
(PN)
• Wet beriberi
• Heart involvement, secondary lung involvement,
peripheral edema and some PN

• Acute beriberi (Infants)

• Anorexia, vomiting and lactic acidosis*
• Altered heart rate and cardiomegaly
*inadequate thiamin causes pyruvate to be converted to lactic
acid versus acetyl-CoA; the lactic acid accumulates, causing
acidosis
 Deficiencies
Wernicke’s encephalopathy (associated with alcoholism)
• Ophthalmoplegia- paralysis of muscles that control eye movement
• Nystagmus involuntary eye ball movement
• Ataxia-impaired muscle coordination
• Memory loss
• Confusion
Treatment:
• Oral doses (100 mg or >) or
• IV doses (50 mg or >)
Maple Syrup Disease
• results from genetic mutations in the branched-chain -keto acid
dehydrogenase complex
• Heart Dz: use of diuretics
 Toxicity
• Little risk with high oral intakes from supplementation
• 500 mg daily for 1 month

• Some potential for negative consequences with high IV or IM

intakes
• Toxicity at 100x RDA
• Headache, convulsions, cardiac arrhythmias

• No UL established