The discovery of vitamins in many cases was strongly linked to dietary deficiencies. In fact, food was often ‘medicine’ and in many ancient cultures, it served as a cure for and prevention of diseases.

It was the turn of the 20th century that saw breakthrough discoveries in vitamins when many doctors observed the correlation between diseases and specific diets. In 1890, doctor Christiaan Eijkman noticed symptoms of beri-beri among convicts imprisoned in a Java prison. Similar observations were made among sailors by Dr Takaki, Director General of the Japan Naval Medical Services. In both cases, the intake of products containing thiamine eliminated beri-beri disease.

The major discovery was made by the Polish biochemist Kazimierz Funk, who researched the pathology of beri-beri. Funk confirmed earlier hypotheses and put forward a thesis that the cause of beri-beri was the deficiency of a certain essential substance, most likely a simple chemical compound containing nitrogen. In 1911, he succeeded in isolating a chemical compound from rice bran that prevented symptoms of beri-beri.

He called the substance ‘vitamin’ (Latin vita – life, amine – a compound that contains an amino group), or ‘vital amines’. Although, as it turned out later, other discovered compounds included in this group were not amines, the term proposed by Funk had already caught on.

References:

Vitamins monographs – Huntington University of Health Sciences

Thiamine pyrophosphate (coenzymated cocarboxylase) is a coenzyme of pyruvate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglucarate and transketolase.

The first two enzymes are important for pyruvate metabolism in the Krebs cycle and are the basis for energy production from food.

Thanks to transketolase, NADPH is produced, which is involved, among others, in the production of fatty acids and steroid hormones; it is also a component used in the synthesis of nucleic acids, and electron carriers (necessary for the production of ATP; NAD+, FAD).

Pyrophosphate is also highly concentrated in the cells of the nervous system and muscles as an essential component used in the production of nerve impulses and conscious muscle movement.

Coenzymated form of Vitamin B1 is a biologically active form of Vitamin B1, being one of the most absorbable forms of Vitamin B1.

References:

Vitamins monographs – Huntington University of Health Sciences

The best time to take Vitamin B1 is during or after a meal at 4 pm at the latest. Some sources also report that thiamine can be taken before a morning or lunch meal.

Vitamin B1 can be supplemented and combined with other B vitamins as well as other supplements. No drug interactions have been reported.

The Vitamin B1 capsule is one of the smallest capsules in existence. Its length is 14 mm. It is very easy to swallow.