thiamine (vitamin B1)


jts

Recommended Posts

Perhaps this is old. Or not. Maybe it's worth mentioning again even if it is old.

It seems (from lots of websites that you can easily Google) that alcohol tends to cause thiamine deficiency. Or to say the same thing in a different way, alcohol tends to increase the need for thiamine.

Thiamine has been called the morale vitamin. That is because (it is said) that deficiency of thiamine weakens your will. Like for example your will to resist alcoholism. Well, it's not hard to see how this could set up a positive feedback loop and it's not hard to see how the positive feedback loop could get out of control.

alcohol --> thiamine deficiency --> weak will --> more alcohol

And round and round. And possibly more and more vicious as it goes around.

I read somewhere that 70% of all serious alcoholics have brain damage caused by severe deficiency of thiamine. Whatever.

Just a wee bit of info relevant to the subject of addiction: thiamine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand that alcohol ingestion does adversely affect the absorption of Thiamine within the intestine. Even if Thiamine is present in the diet of an alcoholic much of it will not find its way into their bloodstream. Consequently Thiamine deficiency begins to be manifest.

When someone is treated for alcoholism Thiamine is traditionally given in amounts (100mg per mouth) far exceeding what is considered to be the minimum daily requirement which is in the vicinity of 1mg per day. It may also be given intravenously if oral intake is not possible. It often is continued for over a month to counter the deficiency depending on the history of alcohol abuse.

Speaking of consequences the horrors of alcohol's affects are considerable. Alcohol causes pathological changes in the liver, the heart and the brain which can cause profound disability and death in time.

I do not recommend that alcohol be prohibited despite its being responsible for the deaths of over 150 thousand people per year and that is a figure I was taught forty years ago and is no doubt much higher today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut. Yes, B-1 is critical to good mental health, regardless of your alcohol intake. All of the Bs are.

But what is not? I remember reading about a study in the old Czechoslovakia under communism where they gave a gram of Vitamin C each day to some factory workers and their performance improved. The study focused on cognitive skills, but I think it was just general health. One of my friends is an immigrant - well, many are, actually: it's the old neighborhood thing - anyway, she went back to Former Commie Land and you should see the snapshots with her former cohorts. They not only look older; she is obviously healthier.

Here in Austin, the local drugstores and walk-in labs will give you B-12 as a shot in the arm for like $20 or $25. Red Bull and similar "energy drinks" have a small load of extra B-vitamins.

Myself, I take balanced Bs. Also, I take my vitamins continuously throughout the day, not all at once. I am not a big fan of food, actually, and I often eat only to enhance the uptake of vitamins. Like right now, I have a salad (organic) with chicken (organic) to get three multiple pills in and going. (Daily dose is four. I'll take the other three later.) I have C in powder form that I put in fruit juice. I could go on...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At first I thought your "don't like food" post was a takeoff on Chimpy's "eating for pleasure is suicidal" one.

Now you are in the same category as jts, Mike. After reading this thread I went out and bought some multivitamins. Moreover, I consented to answer a survey in the drugstore for $10, so I did not even have to pay for them. Talk about a benevolent universe.

I didn't leave you alone with jts in the category, I would not do that to anybody, I brought back Ed and gulch.

You influenced someone's behaviour by propaganda. Straight up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now