Depending on how severe the deficiency is, lethargy can be a sign of thiamine deficiency
One of the eight essential B vitamins is thiamine (vitamin B1). Vitamin B1 deficiency can arise with several medical problems, although being unusual in areas with food and supplements. Lack of thiamin can result in thiamine insufficiency because it is essential for many vital bodily processes.
Your body needs thiamine for energy production from meals as well as for growth, development, and cellular function. Thiamine is a water-soluble vitamin like the other B vitamins. You need to regularly consume it because it dissolves in water and isn't stored in your body.
For these reasons, it is important to ensure you consume enough thiamine. Lack of enough thiamine in the body can lead to many health issues. Read on as we discuss some common signs of thiamine deficiency and foods that can help boost your intake of thiamine.
Common signs of thiamine deficiency:
1. Lethargy
Depending on how severe the deficiency is, lethargy can be a sign of thiamine deficiency and may appear suddenly or develop over time. According to other reports, weariness might start to emerge just a few weeks after a deficiency. Given the function of thiamine in turning food into energy, this symptom makes sense. The body cannot produce as much energy to use as fuel if there is not enough thiamine present.
2. Loss of appetite
One of the first signs of thiamine deficiency can be an unusual decrease in appetite. Losing weight unintentionally due to loss of appetite can be dangerous or troublesome. One explanation for this is that thiamine may be crucial in controlling the brain's signals of hunger and fullness. The efficiency of this process may be hampered by insufficient thiamine reserves, causing you to feel full when you may not actually be.
3. Tingling in limbs
Though tingling, also known as paresthesia, the sensation of "pins and needles" in your arms and legs, can be a sign of severe beriberi, it can also be an early sign of thiamine deficiency. It typically occurs before symptoms connected to the brain are more pervasive. Thiamine is necessary for the nerves that travel to your arms and legs to operate as they should, which is the cause of this discomfort. Paresthesia may occur when there is insufficient thiamine in the body.
4. Blurry vision
The optic nerve in your eyes might be impacted by thiamine shortage since it helps keep your nerves strong. In particular, this may result in enlargement of the optic nerve, which causes hazy vision. If optic nerve injury is not treated, visual loss may eventually occur. Although this symptom is one of the less common symptoms and occurs in very rare cases.
5. Nausea
Vomiting and nausea can be signs of numerous illnesses, including thiamine shortage, just like weariness, and irritability. Wernicke encephalopathy, a disorder associated with thiamine deficiency, is more prevalent in those who have these digestive symptoms. It's crucial to treat them carefully because they might be a major sign of thiamine shortage even in moderate situations.
You can reduce your risk of thiamine deficiency by eating foods rich in thiamine. Some foods rich in thiamine are fish, beans, lentils, yogurt, green peas, and sunflower seeds.
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