SkiptomaincontentHomeMedicinesAtoZBacktoMedicinesAtoZThiamine(vitaminB1)OnthispageAboutthiamineKeyfactsWhocanandcan'ttakethiamineHowandwhentotakeitSideeffectsHowtocopewithsideeffectsPregnancyandbreastfeedingCautionswithothermedicinesCommonquestions1.AboutthiamineThiamine,alsoknownasthiaminorvitaminB1,isonetheofBvitamins.Thiaminehelpstoturnfoodintoenergytokeepthenervoussystemhealthy.Yourbodyisnotabletomakethiamineforitself.However,youcanusuallygetallyouneedfromyourfood.Man-madethiaminecanbeusedtotreatorpreventvitaminB1deficiency(thisiswhenyoudonothaveenoughofthisvitamininyourbody).Itissometimesalsousedtotreattochildrenwithrareconditionslikemaplesyrupurinediseaseandcongenitallacticacidosis.Itwillbeprescribedtothembyaspecialistdoctor.Youcangetthiamineonprescription.Itcomesasstandard-releaseandslow-releasetablets.ForseverevitaminBdeficiencyitcomesasaninjection.However,thisisusuallygiveninhospital.Youcanbuythiaminesupplementsfrompharmacies,supermarketsandothershops.TheseincludevitaminBcomplextabletsandmultivitamintabletswherethiamineislistedasaningredient.2.KeyfactsYou'llusuallytakethiamineonceadayifyouhaveamildvitaminB1deficiency.Youcantakeitwithorwithoutfood.It'sbesttoavoidalcoholifyouaretakingthiamineforavitaminB1deficiency.Somepeoplemayfeelsickorhaveastomachachewhentakingthiamine,butthesesideeffectsareusuallymild.ThiamineisalsocalledbythebrandnamesBenervaandTyvera.3.Whocanandcan'ttakethiamineMostadultsandchildrenaged12yearsoroldercantakethiamine.Onlygivethiaminetoachildundertheageof12yearsifaspecialistrecommendsit.Thiaminemaynotbesuitableforsomepeople.Tomakesureit'ssafeforyou,tellyourdoctorbeforestartingthiamineifyou:havehadanallergicreactiontothiamineoranyothermedicineinthepastareduetohaveanybloodtestsorscansthiamine–canaffecttheresultsofcertaintests4.HowandwhentotakeitIfyouoryourchildhavebeenprescribedthiamine,followthedoctor'sinstructionswhentakingit.Ifyouhaveboughtthiaminefromapharmacyorashop,followtheinstructionsthatcomewiththepacket.HowmuchwillItake?Thedosewill