Role of Thiamin in Health and Disease

Abstract

Thiamin is a hydrosoluble vitamin that plays a role in several biological processes, mainly in glucose metabolism. There are several risk factors for developing thiamin deficiency, such as malnutrition, refeeding syndrome, gastrointestinal surgery, and alcoholism. Recently, the role of thiamin in critically ill patients has gained prominence, and the prevalence of thiamin deficiency was found to be increased in patients with severe burns, major surgery, septic shock, end-stage renal disease, and heart failure. In adults, thiamin deficiency presents as encephalopathy, dry beriberi (with neurological signs and symptoms), or wet beriberi (with cardiovascular signs and symptoms). Thiamin deficiency can be diagnosed clinically, and all clinicians should be aware of this disease, especially in patients with risk factors for thiamin deficiency. Thiamin supplementation should be started as early as possible in patients suspected to have thiamin deficiency. Treatment is safe, inexpensive, simple, and life-saving. Diagnosis is confirmed on a positive response to treatment. (Nutr Clin Pract. 2019;34:558-564)

The Effect of Chronic Ethanol Exposure and Thiamine Deficiency on Myelin‐related Genes in the Cortex and the Cerebellum

“…Thiamine deficiency has been shown to reduce myelinated fiber density, as well as cause damage to myelin sheaths in both humans and animals (Koike et al, 2003; Polegato et al, 2019). In Experiment 2, the cerebellum was an area of increased susceptibility to both moderate (EAS) and severe (MAS) PTD treatment, as there was downregulation in the Olig2 genes just after treatment and persistent suppression of gene markers of mature oligodendrocytes 24 h posttreatment.…”

Coma irreversível em paciente portadora de esquizofrenia paranoide: encefalopatia de Wernicke após síndrome de realimentação – um relato de caso

“…A oferta abrupta de nutrientes a pacientes sob risco ocasiona uma alteração rápida de eletrólitos no ambiente extracelular, que agora adentram na célula para serem utilizados nas rotas metabólicas e, em casos extremos, podem culminar em arritmias cardíacas fatais 5 . O desencadeamento da SR promove o desenvolvimento de deficiência de tiamina justamente pela aceleração dos processos enzimáticos envolvidos na respiração celular, e invariavelmente os pacientes também sob risco de carência de vitamina B1 são os mesmos sob risco de SR 4 . Embora o diagnóstico de SR ainda seja fonte de controvérsia, a hipofosfatemia, quando aliada às condições clínicas expostas na Tabela 2, é um marcador razoavelmente confiável de sua presença 5 .…”

“…A síndrome é desencadeada pela deficiência de tiamina (vitamina B1), sendo classicamente reconhecida pela tríade alteração do estado mental, oftalmoplegia e ataxia 3 . Além disso, indivíduos submetidos a privação de alimentos estão particularmente suscetíveis ao desenvolvimento de síndrome de realimentação (SR), que por si só exacerba a depleção da vitamina 4 .…”

Unraveling the antioxidant potential of thiamine: Thermochemical and kinetics studies in aqueous phase using DFT

“…[1] It enhances the glucose metabolism in generating energy for the body. Besides, the thiamine plays as a cofactor for several enzymes involving in biological processes such as synthesis of pentose used as nucleic acid precursors, production of reducing substances used in oxidative stress (OS) defenses… [1,2] Because of its biological and chemical importance, thiamine deficiency causes malnutrition, re-feeding syndrome, gastrointestinal surgery, alcoholism and specially presents as encephalopathy, beriberi in adults. [2] Among several important activities of thiamine, it is indicated that thiamine also has potential antioxidant activity.…”

“…Besides, the thiamine plays as a cofactor for several enzymes involving in biological processes such as synthesis of pentose used as nucleic acid precursors, production of reducing substances used in oxidative stress (OS) defenses… [1,2] Because of its biological and chemical importance, thiamine deficiency causes malnutrition, re-feeding syndrome, gastrointestinal surgery, alcoholism and specially presents as encephalopathy, beriberi in adults. [2] Among several important activities of thiamine, it is indicated that thiamine also has potential antioxidant activity. [3,4] Indeed, the antioxidant potential of thiamine (or vitamin B1), folic acid (or vitamin B9), pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine (or vitamin B6) was studied due to trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) one.…”