The B vitamin thiamine is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates into the simple sugar glucose . The chemical process involves the combination of thiamine with pyruvic acid to form a coenzyme , a substance that, when combined with other substances, forms an enzyme. Enzymes are those all-important proteins that speed up chemical reactions in the body.
Thiamine is also important for the proper functioning of the nervous system.
There are several health problems associated with a deficiency of thiamine. The first is beriberi , a disease that is characterized by anemia , paralysis , muscular atrophy and weakness, and spasms in the muscles of the legs. Other disorders caused by thiamine deficiency include Wernicke's encephelopathy , which causes lack of coordination, and Korsakoff's psychosis , which affects short-term memory. Fortunately, these conditions can be reversed with the addition of the vitamin. Thiamine is found in whole-grain cereals, bread, red meat, egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, legumes, sweet corn, brown rice, berries, yeast, the germ and husks of grains and nuts.