Your Brain on Low B1
The nutrient most neurologists overlook.
Difficulty concentrating. Mental fatigue that sleep doesn't fix. A feeling like your brain is running at 60%. These are among the earliest signs of insufficient thiamine. B1 is a rate-limiting cofactor in cerebral energy metabolism. Without adequate levels, your neurons cannot produce the ATP they need to function.
Why the Brain Is Vulnerable
High metabolic demand
The brain uses 20% of your energy but is only 2% of body weight
No storage capacity
B1 reserves in neural tissue deplete within 2-3 weeks
Transport dependent
Standard B1 relies on saturable intestinal transporters
Cofactor role
Required for pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase
This is why subclinical deficiency is so common and so underdiagnosed. You do not need to be severely depleted to experience cognitive effects.
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Your Brain on Low B1
Thiamine deficiency doesn't start with a diagnosis. It starts with symptoms your doctor attributes to something else.