What are symptoms of low thiamine?

If you’re experiencing thiamine deficiency you’re likely to have one or a combination of these symptoms:

  • Ataxia. Ataxia is a degenerative disease of the nervous system.
  • Confusion.
  • Nystagmus.
  • Irritability.
  • Seizure.
  • Papilledema.
  • Short-term memory loss.
  • Tachycardia.

What is the main cause of thiamine deficiency?

A diet consisting mainly of white flour, white sugar, and other highly processed carbohydrates can cause thiamin deficiency. At first, people have vague symptoms such as fatigue and irritability, but a severe deficiency (beriberi) can affect the nerves, muscles, heart, and brain.

Which disease is caused by thiamin deficiency?

(Beriberi; Vitamin B1 Deficiency) Thiamin deficiency (causing beriberi) is most common among people subsisting on white rice or highly refined carbohydrates in developing countries and among alcoholics. Symptoms include diffuse polyneuropathy, high-output heart failure, and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

What happens if you have a vitamin B1 deficiency?

A deficiency of vitamin B1 commonly leads to beriberi, a condition that features problems with the peripheral nerves and wasting. Weight loss and anorexia can develop. There may be mental problems, including confusion and short-term memory loss.

Does caffeine deplete thiamine?

Heavy consumption of tannin-containing or food rich in caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline (such as those present in coffee, chocolate, and tea, respectively) can inactivate thiamine, thereby compromising the thiamine status (7, 14, 15).

How long does it take to recover from thiamine deficiency?

Using this type of clinical thiamine deficiency correction, some heart-related symptoms can be reversed within hours to days ( 2 ). It may take 3 to 6 months to reverse brain and nervous system effects, and people with severe neuropathy due to a delay in diagnosis or treatment may have permanent damage ( 2 ).

What food is high in thiamine?

Food Sources

  • Fortified breakfast cereals.
  • Pork.
  • Fish.
  • Beans, lentils.
  • Green peas.
  • Enriched cereals, breads, noodles, rice.
  • Sunflower seeds.
  • Yogurt.

How does thiamine deficiency affect the brain?

A deficiency of a single vitamin, B1 (thiamine), can cause a potentially fatal brain disorder called Wernicke encephalopathy. Symptoms can include confusion, hallucinations, loss of muscle coordination and vision problems. Untreated, the condition can lead to irreversible brain damage and death.

Can thiamine deficiency be fatal?

The most severe, potentially fatal disease caused by thiamine deficiency is the neurological disorder Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This can be difficult to diagnose and many cases remain undiagnosed.

How long does it take to recover from a thiamine deficiency?

Which organs are most affected by thiamine?

Thiamine is mostly concentrated in the skeletal muscles. Other organs in which it is found are the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys. The half-life of thiamine is 9-18 days.