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Brain Food - Thiamine

Nature optimized

Thiamine may be better recognized as Vitamin B1.  It is often called the “anti-stress” vitamin, and helps the body withstand stress, which is important in the lives of everyone especially those undergoing symptoms of ADD/HD.  Thiamine also plays an important role in maintaining healthy nervous and cardiovascular function in the body.

Vitamin B1 is one of eight water-soluble vitamins in the B complex family.  Water-soluble vitamins dissolve easily in water.  Your body metabolizes what it can in the digestive tract and flushes out excess in urine.  The vitamins are not stored in the body so it’s important to get them daily through diet or supplement.

Anti Stress Vitamin

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Thiamine is required by our bodies to properly use carbohydrates.  Since many of us follow the convenient Standard American Diet (link to blog) packed with carbohydrates, it’s no wonder how important adequate amounts of thiamine plays in our bodies.  Thiamine has a major role in glucose metabolism.  Sugar is the principal source of energy in the body and the brain so B1’s role in converting food to energy is critical to healthy functioning throughout the day and avoidance of fatigue or mental ambiguity.

In the brain, it aids in mental function and memory.  Thiamine is necessary for optimal brain function as it helps to regulate nerve growth and nerve function.  Meeting your daily amounts of this vitamin helps build the protective coverings, called myelin sheaths, around the nerves in the brain.  A study by the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry showed that thiamine deficiency led to a reduction in the activities of antioxidant enzymes implying that oxidative stress occurred in brain mitochondria  when levels of Vitamin B1 were not met.  The degeneration of nerves might eventually lead to nerve death.

Major Role of Thiamine

Brain Food - Thiamine

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Many people use thiamine for maintaining a positive mental attitude, enhancing learning abilities, increasing energy, fighting stress, and preventing memory loss.All B Vitamins work synergistically and are most powerful working together.  As we began thinking of the formulation for Pure Clarity, we recognized the importance of including Thiamine for its independent benefits, and have included the other B-Vitamin complex and magnesium to strengthen the Thiamine as well as give their advantages to the ADD/HD solution.Check out Pure Clarity here (link to products page).

Use of Thiamine

Brain Food - Thiamine

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Neurochem Res. 2013 Aug;38(8):1523-1542. Epub 2013 May 16.Acetyl-CoA the Key Factor for Survival or Death of Cholinergic Neurons in Course of Neurodegenerative Diseases.  Szutowicz A, Bielarczyk H, Jankowska-Kulawy A, Pawełczyk T, Ronowska A.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23677775J Physiol Biochem. 2013 Feb 17. [Epub ahead of print]Thiamine deficiency induces oxidative stress in brain mitochondria of Mus musculus.  Sharma A, Bist R, Bubber P.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23417786Lonadale D: A nutritionist’s guide to the clinical use of thiamine. Life Science Press. Tacoma, WA 1987.

Supporting Research

Brain Food - Thiamine

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Update of cell damage mechanisms in thiamine deficiency: focus on oxidative stress, excitotoxicity and inflammation.  

Alcohol. 2009 Mar-Apr;44(2):141-7. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agn120. Epub 2009 Jan 16.Ambrose, ML, Bowden SC, Whelan G. Thiamin treatment and working memory function of alcohol-dependent people: preliminary findings. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2001;25(1):112-116.Haas RH. Thiamin and the brain. Ann Rev Nutr 1988;8:483-515 1988.

Cell Damage

Brain Food - Thiamine