Vitamin B-1 (thiamin) is necessary for your mental health; normal growth; healthy skin, hair, blood and muscles; appetite and digestion. It occurs in large quantities only in whole, unprocessed foods. Vitamin B-1 deficiencies are not uncommon today because we eat so many highly processed foods, in which the vitamin B-1 has been destroyed. Food manufacturers have tried to replace the lost vitamin B-1 by fortifying their foods with it, but this has proved to be largely ineffective.

Alcohol destroys vitamin B-1 and for some people only a drink a day is enough to induce a deficiency. Black tea contains compounds that inhibit B-1 absorption, and raw sea foods (lox, oysters, herring, sushi, etc.) contain thiaminase, a substance which seriously inhibits vitamin B-1 absorption. Digestive diseases such as colitis or chronic diarrhea reduce B-1 absorption.

Vitamin B-1 is often referred to as the "morale" vitamin -- depression, mood changes and other mental dysfunctions are often early symptoms of a vitamin B-1 (thiamin) deficiency.

Foods are your best sources of all nutrients. If your chart shows deficiencies of any B vitamins, increase your intake of vitamin B-rich foods, take a good multivitamin/mineral capsule or a B-complex tablet daily (with a meal) and follow all recommendations to improve your digestion.

Good sources of vitamin B-1 (Thiamin) are brown rice, rice bran, oatmeal, oat bran, whole wheat, wheat germ, crushed sunflower seeds, soy foods, meat, fish, poultry and nuts. Alcohol destroys vitamin B-1. If you have even one drink every day you may need supplementation.