thiamine
Meaning of thiamine: Thiamine, or vitamin B1, helps enzymes convert dietary sugars into usable energy, and prolonged deficiency produces the disorder beriberi.
Definition of thiamine
Thiamine, also called vitamin B1, is a water soluble vitamin the body needs in small amounts to function normally. It acts as a coenzyme for several enzymes involved in converting carbohydrates into usable energy and plays a role in maintaining the normal function of nerves and the heart.
Thiamine is found in foods including pork, organ meats, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, and because it is water soluble, the body does not store large reserves, so regular dietary intake is needed. Because thiamine is not stable at high temperatures, cooking and processing can reduce the amount retained in food.
A prolonged, significant thiamine deficiency causes a condition called beriberi, which can affect the heart and blood vessels or the nervous system depending on its pattern. Thiamine deficiency is also linked to Wernicke encephalopathy, a serious neurological condition most often associated with chronic alcohol use and poor nutrition.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Thiamine was administered given clinical concern for possible deficiency in the setting of chronic alcohol use.
Good to know
Thiamine deficiency is classically linked to beriberi and, in the context of chronic alcohol use and poor nutrition, to Wernicke encephalopathy, two distinct patterns of illness that both trace back to the same underlying nutrient deficiency.
Word origin
Where “thiamine” comes from
Formed from Greek theion, meaning sulfur, reflecting the sulfur atom in its chemical structure, combined with amine, denoting its nitrogen-containing chemical group.