Thiamine’s main role in the body is to break down and utilize carbohydrates. Carbohydrates break down into glucose which the body then uses as energy. In order for this process to occur, enzymes must be present. The enzyme that carries out this particular process is dependent on thiamine and is known as thiamine pyrophosphatase.

If thiamine is not available, then the conversion of carbohydrates to glucose is inhibited because the enzyme thiamine pyrophosphatase cannot be activated.

The energy that glucose provides is essential for every cell in the body since most of a cell’s energy is produced from the oxidation of carbohydrates. For more specific information, please refer to Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Thiamine & Nerves

The role of thiamine is especially important when it comes to the nervous system because proper functioning of nerve tissues is extremely dependent on carbohydrate breakdown. If there is a lack of thiamine, nerve tissues are one of the first to present adverse effects, and inflammatory conditions and/or degenerative lesions in multiple nerves can occur simultaneously.

Thiamine doesn’t work alone however.  It requires some of the other B Vitamins, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B4 (Choline), and Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine). For this reason it is best to take a “B-complex” supplement rather than single B vitamins.

In some therapeutic cases, single B vitamins are often needed in addition to the B-complex in order to reverse a disease condition.

Thiamine & Autoimmune

When we think of diseases of the nervous system, we often think of neuromuscular diseases such as multiple sclerosis or myasthenia gravis.

Although each disease presents different symptoms based upon where the disease has manifested,

there is evidence that a thiamine deficiency (along with other nutritional deficiencies such as Vitamin D, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B12, minerals and others) plays a major role in the development of these neurological conditions.

Resources:

• Multiple Sclerosis Treated with Injectable Vitamin B1 & Liver Extract
• VITAMINS FIGHT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
•  Effects of thiamine, ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol on neuronal and muscular function
• Modeling neurodegenerative disease pathophysiology in thiamine deficiency: consequences of impaired oxidative metabolism.
• MYASTHENIA GRAVIS A Holistic Therapy
• B Vitamins Work Best Together

Related Articles

• Thiamine is Vital regarding Myasthenia Gravis
• Heart Disease Linked to Thiamine Deficiency
• Thiamine Therapy Resolves Lactic Acidosis

Dr. Michelle Kmiec

is a board-certified Chiropractic Physician and Life Coach who also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology, and a minor in Medical Research. She is a life-long athlete who after curing herself 100% naturally from MS and anxiety, became an avid nutrition health researcher/promoter.

She has been featured in many Health magazines and has been a guest on radio talk shows in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. She is the author of Health Freedom Revolution: Exposing the Lies, Deceit and Greed of the Medical Profession, Founder of Online Holistic Health, and a contributing writer for other popular informative health website/blogs.

She is the host of Holistic Health Radio – where she discusses how she recovered her health as well as other hot health topics, and she is also co-founder of Crazy Meets Common Sense! –  The Podcast that Makes Sense Out of the Crazy, to Help You Live a More Healthy, Fulfilling and Empowering Life!