Vitamin B1
Vitamin ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Essential for energy metabolism, nerve function, and carbohydrate metabolism. First B vitamin discovered.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Vitamin B1 is a vitamin most often used for energy production, nerve function, carbohydrate metabolism. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong. A typical adult dose is 50–100 mg daily, commonly taken as benfotiamine (fat-soluble, better bioavailability) or thiamine hcl. This profile indexes 19 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: energy production, nerve function, carbohydrate metabolism. 19 sources indexed (2005–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
As thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), serves as a coenzyme for pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase in the Krebs cycle, and transketolase in the pentose phosphate pathway.17,1
Dosing & protocol.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Benfotiamine / Thiamine HCl.
Assumes 50-100 mg/day. Vendor basis: NOW/iHerb, Vitacost, Life Extension, and Amazon marketplace; benfotiamine is the premium form. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Whole grains and legumes help, but enrichment also contributes.
Higher-dose thiamine protocols are supplemental, not dietary.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Generally well tolerated
- Rare allergic reaction
Contraindications
- None significant
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
10- 1A Systematic Review of Thiamine Supplementation in Improving Diabetes and Its Related Cardiovascular DysfunctionPMIDSerra M, Mollace R, Ritorto G et al. · International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
Serra M, Mollace R, Ritorto G et al.. A Systematic Review of Thiamine Supplementation in Improving Diabetes and Its Related Cardiovascular Dysfunction. International journal of molecular sciences. 2025
- 2Disease-modifying therapies for diabetic peripheral neuropathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PMIDRan GL, Li YP, Lu LC et al. · Journal of Diabetes and its Complications · 2024
Methylcobalamin showed significant improvement in neuropathic symptoms and nerve function in diabetic peripheral neuropathy patients.
- 3Effect of intravenous thiamine administration on critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPMIDNakanishi N, Abe Y, Matsuo M et al. · Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) · 2024
Nakanishi N, Abe Y, Matsuo M et al.. Effect of intravenous thiamine administration on critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). 2024
- 4Efficacy and Safety of Hydrocortisone, Ascorbic Acid, and Thiamine Combination Therapy for the Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled TrialsPMIDDeng J, Zuo QK, Venugopal K et al. · International archives of allergy and immunology · 2024
Deng J, Zuo QK, Venugopal K et al.. Efficacy and Safety of Hydrocortisone, Ascorbic Acid, and Thiamine Combination Therapy for the Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. International archives of allergy and immunology. 2024
- 5Effect of adjunctive vitamin C, glucocorticoids, and vitamin B1 on longer-term mortality in adults with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and a component network meta-analysisPMIDFujii T, Salanti G, Belletti A et al. · Intensive care medicine · 2022
Fujii T, Salanti G, Belletti A et al.. Effect of adjunctive vitamin C, glucocorticoids, and vitamin B1 on longer-term mortality in adults with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and a component network meta-analysis. Intensive care medicine. 2022
- 6The Dichotomous Effect of Thiamine Supplementation on Tumorigenesis: A Systematic ReviewPMIDQueiroz Júnior JRA, Costa Pereira JPD, Pires LL et al. · Nutrition and cancer · 2022
Queiroz Júnior JRA, Costa Pereira JPD, Pires LL et al.. The Dichotomous Effect of Thiamine Supplementation on Tumorigenesis: A Systematic Review. Nutrition and cancer. 2022
- 7Efficacy and Safety of Mecobalamin on Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.PMIDSawangjit R, Thongphui S, Chaichompu W et al. · Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine · 2020
Mecobalamin significantly improved symptoms and nerve conduction velocities in patients with peripheral neuropathy.
- 8Intravenous thiamine for septic shock: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPMIDQian X, Zhang Z, Li F et al. · The American journal of emergency medicine · 2020
Qian X, Zhang Z, Li F et al.. Intravenous thiamine for septic shock: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The American journal of emergency medicine. 2020
- 9Thiamine supplementation for the treatment of heart failure: a meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDDiNicolantonio JJ, Liu J, O'Keefe JH · J Clin Med · 2018
- 10Thiamine deficiency in heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDKeith ME, Walsh NA, Darling PB et al. · Int J Cardiol · 2009
Randomized controlled trials
2- 11High-dose thiamine for type 2 diabetes: a pilot randomised controlled trialSource linkedPMIDGonzalez-Ortiz M, Martinez-Abundis E, Robles-Cervantes JA et al. · Diabetologia · 2011
- 12Benfotiamine in the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy--a three-week randomized, controlled pilot study (BEDIP study)PMIDHaupt E et al. · Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther · 2005
Statistically significant improvement in neuropathy scores with benfotiamine; most pronounced effect was decrease in pain; no side effects attributable to benfotiamine
Reviews & position papers
6- 13Thiamine and benfotiamine: Focus on their therapeutic potentialPMIDSambon M et al. · Biochem Pharmacol · 2023
Benfotiamine is more bioavailable with higher tissue penetration than thiamine; has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential; beneficial in diabetes complications and neurodegenerative disease models
- 14The role of vitamin B12 in viral infections: a comprehensive review of its relationship with the muscle-gut-brain axis and implications for SARS-CoV-2 infection.PMIDBatista KS, Cintra VM, Lucena PAF et al. · Nutrition Reviews · 2022
Vitamin B12 plays critical roles in neurological function, DNA synthesis, and immune regulation, with deficiency linked to neurological and cognitive impairments.
- 15Thiamine deficiency disorders: a clinical perspectivePMIDWhitfield KC et al. · Ann N Y Acad Sci · 2018
Thiamine deficiency affects cardiovascular and nervous systems (wet beriberi, dry beriberi, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome); organs most sensitive are cardiovascular and nervous systems
- 16High-dose thiamine supplementation in type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysisSource linkedPMIDAlaei Shahmiri F, Soares MJ, Zhao Y, Sherriff J · Arch Med Res · 2013
- 17A review of the biochemistry, metabolism and clinical benefits of thiamin(e) and its derivativesPMIDLonsdale D · Evid Based Complement Alternat Med · 2006
Thiamine plays a fundamental role in energy metabolism as TPP, serving as coenzyme for pyruvate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and transketolase
- 18The potential role of thiamine (vitamin B1) in diabetic complicationsPMIDThornalley PJ · Curr Diabetes Rev · 2005
Thiamine deficiency and reduced transketolase activity may contribute to diabetic complications; high-dose thiamine/benfotiamine may prevent microvascular complications
Common questions.
Quick answers about Vitamin B1, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Vitamin B1?
Essential for energy metabolism, nerve function, and carbohydrate metabolism. First B vitamin discovered.
What is Vitamin B1 used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Vitamin B1 include: Energy production; Nerve function; Carbohydrate metabolism; Brain health. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Vitamin B1?
A typical adult dose of Vitamin B1 is 50–100 mg daily. The commonly recommended form is Benfotiamine (fat-soluble, better bioavailability) or thiamine HCl. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Vitamin B1?
Reported side effects include generally well tolerated, rare allergic reaction. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Vitamin B1?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Vitamin B1 in NutriStack.
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