What Is Thiamine | Hea Boosters
Having a well-balanced and healthy diet is the best thing you can do for your body, specially during pregnancy. While you are nurturing your little one inside you, having foods in B-vitamin is important as they support healthy pregnancy. One of those B-vitamins is Thiamine, which is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in many biological processes, especially in the metabolism of glucose.
Thiamine also helps in the proper functioning of the heart, nervous system, and muscles, among other biological processes. As a new mom, vitamins, and macronutrients play an essential part in your diet, just like during your pregnancy. Thiamine is one of the B vitamins and they all have their individual functions while still working together in the body.
Thiamine helps in converting carbohydrates to energy in the body which helps you go about your activities for the day. You will need all the strength you can get while taking care of yourself and your baby. Thiamine is also essential for the development of your baby’s brain, during pregnancy, and after delivery.
There are several natural food sources from where you can get thiamine.
How much Thiamine do you need per day:
According to FSSAI, the average amount of thiamine needed per day for mothers (pregnant and lactating) of any age is 1.4mg. You can get this amount very easily from your regular diet with various combinations of meals. However, if you aren’t able to do so, then there are several supplements which contain thiamine in them. You can have thiamine from natural food sources of thiamine-fortified meals, whole grain products and bread.
Natural sources of thiamine are:
There are other natural food sources of thiamine but it may be found in low quantities in these sources. Supplements are also a great option if you feel like you are not getting enough from your natural diet.
Thiamine deficiency can be very serious in certain cases. As mentioned earlier, it could lead to certain diseases and conditions that can cause physiological and nervous manifestations. Thiamine deficiency can be developed due to certain factors, and some of these risk factors include:
Early signs of thiamine deficiency include fatigue, nausea, and weakness. These signs are things you might experience on a normal day while going about your activities and caring for your baby. However, when you are constantly weak, fatigued, or nauseous, you should visit your doctor just to make sure everything is fine.
Conclusion:
Keeping up with the home and your newborn can be very demanding. It is essential you keep your strengths up by taking the required amount of thiamine. Thiamine deficiency is not as common and can easily be treated if it occurs. Remember to take care of yourself because a healthy mom is a happy and healthy baby too.
Sources:
Role of Thiamine in health and disease:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30644592/
Thiamine and its benefits:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29477220/
Thiamine also helps in the proper functioning of the heart, nervous system, and muscles, among other biological processes. As a new mom, vitamins, and macronutrients play an essential part in your diet, just like during your pregnancy. Thiamine is one of the B vitamins and they all have their individual functions while still working together in the body.
Thiamine helps in converting carbohydrates to energy in the body which helps you go about your activities for the day. You will need all the strength you can get while taking care of yourself and your baby. Thiamine is also essential for the development of your baby’s brain, during pregnancy, and after delivery.
Benefits of thiamine:
Just as the other B vitamins, thiamine has numerous benefits to the body.- Prevents complications: Thiamine helps to prevent complications in delicate areas of the body like the brain, nervous system, heart, muscles, intestines, and stomach. The vitamin ensures the optimal functionality of these areas in the body.
- Helps the flow of energy and electrolytes: Thiamine helps move energy and electrolytes gotten from food from and out of the nerve cells and muscles. This ensures you don’t feel weak and fatigued, and that there is enough strength in your muscles to carry out basic activities like carrying your child.
- Helps in metabolism: Thiamine helps your body metabolism, that is it helps your body to process foods and nutrients. Having a good or moderate metabolism ensures you stay on track healthwise and that you are fit. This could also help you maintain your desired body weight by ensuring your metabolism is not too fast or too slow.
- Prevents diseases: Thiamine deficiency can lead to certain diseases and disorders that are sometimes genetic. Heart, digestive system, and nerve disorders are some of the possible illnesses from lack of adequate thiamine. Beriberi is also a common disease that arises due to insufficient thiamine.
There are several natural food sources from where you can get thiamine. According to FSSAI, the average amount of thiamine needed per day for mothers (pregnant and lactating) of any age is 1.4mg. You can get this amount very easily from your regular diet with various combinations of meals. However, if you aren’t able to do so, then there are several supplements which contain thiamine in them. You can have thiamine from natural food sources of thiamine-fortified meals, whole grain products and bread.
Natural sources of thiamine are:
- A cup of cooked green peas; contains 0.3 mg of thiamine which is equivalent to 21% of your daily nutritional requirement.
- One medium orange; contains 0.2 mg of thiamine which is equivalent to 14% of your daily nutritional requirement.
- 1 cup of milk; contains 0.2 mg of thiamine which is equivalent to 14% of your daily nutritional requirement.
- 1 cup cooked enriched white rice; contains 0.2 mg of thiamine which is equivalent to 14% of your daily nutritional requirement.
- 1 cup of fortified wheat cereal; contains 0.3 mg of thiamine which is equivalent to 21% of your daily nutritional requirement.
There are other natural food sources of thiamine but it may be found in low quantities in these sources. Supplements are also a great option if you feel like you are not getting enough from your natural diet.
Thiamine deficiency can be very serious in certain cases. As mentioned earlier, it could lead to certain diseases and conditions that can cause physiological and nervous manifestations. Thiamine deficiency can be developed due to certain factors, and some of these risk factors include:
- Alcoholism
- Malnutrition
- Gastrointestinal surgery
Early signs of thiamine deficiency include fatigue, nausea, and weakness. These signs are things you might experience on a normal day while going about your activities and caring for your baby. However, when you are constantly weak, fatigued, or nauseous, you should visit your doctor just to make sure everything is fine.
Conclusion:
Keeping up with the home and your newborn can be very demanding. It is essential you keep your strengths up by taking the required amount of thiamine. Thiamine deficiency is not as common and can easily be treated if it occurs. Remember to take care of yourself because a healthy mom is a happy and healthy baby too.
Sources:
Role of Thiamine in health and disease:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30644592/
Thiamine and its benefits:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29477220/