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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Vitamin

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

aka Thiamine · Benfotiamine

Cofactor for carbohydrate metabolism and nerve conduction.

Energy ProductionBrain & CognitiveGeneral Wellness

Overview

Cofactor for carbohydrate metabolism and nerve conduction.

Natural sources
  • Pork
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Legumes
  • Whole grains
Common forms
  • Thiamine HCl
  • Benfotiamine (lipid-soluble)
  • Sulbutiamine

Forms & variants of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Different chemical forms of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) behave differently. Browse each form's mechanism, bioavailability, and best-use context.

Benfotiamine (fat-soluble B1)
Benfotiamine

Lipid-soluble thiamine derivative with superior tissue penetration — used in diabetic neuropathy.

Mechanism of action

TPP cofactor for pyruvate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase.

Pathways
  • · Krebs cycle
  • · Pentose phosphate pathway

Effects on the body

Supports
Carbohydrate energy metabolism

Organ system effects

Brain & CNS

Deficiency causes Wernicke encephalopathy.

Cardiovascular

Deficiency causes wet beriberi.

Evidence-based benefits

Treats/prevents Wernicke-Korsakoff

Strong evidence

Benfotiamine reduces diabetic neuropathy symptoms

Moderate evidence

Potential side effects

Common
    Rare
      Serious

        Drug interactions

        Loop diuretics
        Increase urinary B1 loss.
        moderate

        Supplement interactions

        Pairs well with

        None listed.

        Avoid combining with

        No specific avoidances listed.

        Dosing & bioavailability

        Typical dose
        1.2 mg (general), 100–300 mg benfotiamine for neuropathy

        Where to buy

        Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

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        Thorne
        Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

        Scientific evidence (9)

        Systematic reviewExamine.com Supplement Database · 2023

        Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): pharmacology, clinical evidence, and safety — narrative review

        Examine.com Research Team

        Curated narrative review of human and preclinical evidence for Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), including mechanism, typical dosing, and safety considerations.

        Key findings

        Best-supported outcome: Treats/prevents Wernicke-Korsakoff (evidence: strong). Additional outcomes and limitations summarized in the full profile.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — Treats/prevents Wernicke-Korsakoff

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Treats/prevents Wernicke-Korsakoff" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and "Treats/prevents Wernicke-Korsakoff". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — Benfotiamine reduces diabetic neuropathy symptoms

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Benfotiamine reduces diabetic neuropathy symptoms" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and "Benfotiamine reduces diabetic neuropathy symptoms". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — randomized controlled trial

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — meta-analysis

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — pharmacokinetics

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — safety adverse events

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — dose response

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

        Google Scholar: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — clinical evidence

        Live Scholar search

        Cross-database citation index for Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

        Key findings

        Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

        Open study
        Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.