12 Facts About Thiamine

Thiamine, known as thiamin and vitamin B1, is a vitamin, an essential micronutrient, which cannot be made in the body.

Thiamine is required for metabolism including that of glucose, amino acids, and lipids.

Thiamine is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.

Thiamine is available as a generic medication, and in some countries as a non-prescription dietary supplement.

Thiamine is a cation and is usually supplied as its chloride salt.

Thiamine is important for not only mitochondrial membrane development, but synaptosomal membrane function.

Thiamine is generally well tolerated and non-toxic when administered orally.

Thiamine is found in a wide variety of processed and whole foods.

Thiamine biosynthesis occurs in bacteria, some protozoans, plants, and fungi.

Thiamine was the first of the water-soluble vitamins to be isolated, in 1910.

Thiamine attributed beriberi to the high levels of starch in rice being toxic.

Thiamine believed that the toxicity was countered in a compound present in the rice polishings.