Weight Loss and Wellness

Do you feel like your memory is getting worse with age? Perhaps you aren’t getting enough of vitamin B1, also known as thiamine. This is a water soluble vitamin which is found in foods such as pork, seeds, beans and peas.

Unfortunately it is a vitamin that is easily destroyed by heat (cooking). It is also lost from the body if you take any water pills (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, triamterene, spironolactone, chlorthiazide, etc) or drink a lot of alcohol, tea or coffee which diuretics. Finally, since it is needed for glucose metabolism, if you regularly eat a lot of carbohydrates, you may use up your stored thiamine more rapidly.

We know that a severe vitamin B1 deficiency can cause several conditions including ‘beri beri’ (fluid accumulation and congestive heart failure; numbness and weakness) and Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (severe confusion, amnesia, vision problems, trouble walking and even death). But did you know that a mild deficiency may lead to memory loss?

Since too many simple carbohydrates (sugar and white flour) in your diet can lead to a thiamine deficiency, I recommend cutting back on these types of carbs and eating more substances which contain fiber. Especially beans, peas and seeds since they also contain vitamin B1.

I also recommend taking a good multivitamin or B complex which contains thiamine. The recommended daily allowance is 1.2 mg for men and 1.1 mg for women. There is no established upper limit - which means that no harmful effect has been found with high doses since this vitamin is water soluble and can be tinkled out.