Thiamin

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Memory and thinking in older adults⁴

  In people over 60, eating more thiamin was linked to better scores on memory and thinking tests.

• Concern

  Long-term epilepsy risk in children⁵

  In children, severe thiamin deficiency in infancy led to epilepsy that continued years later.

• Benefit

  Inflammation in pregnancy diabetes⁶

  In women with gestational diabetes, thiamin supplements lowered some signs of inflammation and oxidative stress.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Joint pain in arthritis¹¹

  In animal studies, thiamin eased arthritis symptoms, but scientists do not yet know whether it helps people.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Brain health and memory⁷

  Low thiamin was linked to memory problems, and extra thiamin reduced Alzheimer's-like changes.

• Concern

  Vitamin deficiency and heart disease⁸

  Thiamine deficiency may play a role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, but future studies are needed.

• Concern

  Infant deaths from deficiency⁹

  Thiamin deficiency is common in some countries and is linked to infant deaths there.

• Open question

  brain and nerve damage¹⁰

  Thiamin comes only from food, and not getting enough can lead to serious brain and nerve problems.

How it’s made and used

• Gut movement and bowel habits³

  In people, thiamin intake was linked to how often they pooped, and genes affecting thiamin mattered too.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.