Thiamine (NLOSS)

Patient Information Factsheet

North London Obesity Surgery Service (NLOSS)

What does thiamine do?

• Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an important nutrient for taking energy from food and turning it into energy for your brain, nerves and heart.
• The body needs it to process carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
• It is especially important for processing carbohydrates (sugars and starches).

What happens if my thiamine is low/if I do not get enough thiamine?

• Your body stores only a small amount of thiamine.
• Because of this, deficiency can happen quickly. Deficiency means not having enough of something your body needs to stay healthy.
• This is more likely if you are not eating much or if you are vomiting (being sick).
• Thiamine deficiency may be called Beriberi or Wernicke's Encephalopathy depending on how it shows up in the body.
• Low thiamine can cause different illnesses, and these are called Beriberi or Wernicke's encephalopathy.
• Which one you have can depend on your symptoms.
• When you do not get enough thiamine, you may first have nausea (feeling sick), vomiting (being sick), loss of appetite, fatigue (tiredness) and difficulty concentrating.
• You may also have weakness, sleepiness, changes in personality and memory, leg and foot cramps, burning feet, headache, constipation, and cramping.
• If thiamine deficiency is severe, serious problems can occur including loss of hearing, permanent nervedamage, coma, permanent brain damage, heart damage, liver damage, and death.

What are other symptoms?

• Blurred or double vision
• Difficulty talking/swallowing
• Facial weakness
• Amnesia, memory loss, dementia
• Rapid heartbeat
• Faintness on standing up
• Leg swelling
• Difficulty urinating (peeing)
• Numb/painful hands/feet
• Foot drop, leg weakness
• Clumsiness, loss of balance, falling
• Loss of muscle

Where can I get thiamine?

• Thiamine is in many foods, but cereals with added vitamins, beans, peas, nuts, and pork are especially good sources.
• Other sources are milk, cheese, fresh and dried fruit, and eggs.
• Some foods can make it harder for your body to absorb thiamine: the most important ones are coffee, black tea and alcohol.
• Thiamine is also found in dietary supplements. Almost all multivitamins have thiamine.
• It is also found in B-complex and alone in tablets or capsules.
• Thiamine has a sulfuric smell that many people find unpleasant, but it is normal.
• If you have a thiamine deficiency, your doctor will likely ask you to take thiamine supplements and eat foods with thiamine.

Other important things

If you have thiamine deficiency, the Doctor will give you care instructions as well as appointments for follow ups and tests. You must follow any care they recommend and attend these appointments.

Further information

Please visit the NHS website www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/

Contact our service

Should you need more information, please contact our Specialist Bariatric Dietitians on 020 7288 5989, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.