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Thiamin, vitamin B1, functions in energy production, growth, appetite, digestion, and nerve activity. Nearly half the thiamin in your body is used by the muscles. Thiamin acts as a coenzyme in the energy cycle, enabling a working muscle to operate continuously.
Because thiamin is directly related to the conversion of carbohydrates to energy, thiamin requirements are based on the calorie, or food energy, content of the diet. The recommended allowance is .5 milligrams for every 1,000 calories consumed. If your calorie intake is restricted because of special health problems, a minimal intake of 1 milligram per day is recommended.
Severe thiamin shortages cause beriberi, a serious disease of the nervous system and the heart. Symptoms of this disease are numbness, confusion, apathy, muscular weakness, and swelling of the heart. Beriberi is rarely seen in the United States. However, deficiency symptoms may appear among the populace in areas where the diet depends mainly on un enriched rice and white flour or large amounts of raw fish, the latter of which contains a thiamin destroying enzyme. Heavy drinkers, who tend to eat poorly, can develop thiamin shortages. Thiamin is found in a variety of foods, but few contain large amounts. Whereas wheat germ is one of the richest plant sources, pork is one of the best meat sources (one 3-ounce serving supplies about one-half the recommended allowance for an adult male). Legumes are another good source, along with whole grains, liver, and other organ meats. | 
