Vitamin B1 linked to reduced fatigue in some inflammatory bowel disease patients

Medical Xpress / Aarhus University / Gastro Hep Advances ^ | Sept. 4, 2024 | Sandra Bermúdez-Sánchez et al

[ConservativeMind]

Fatigue is a common and often debilitating companion for people with inflammatory bowel conditions. Now, a study provides insight into why vitamin B1—also known as thiamine—helps some patients regain their energy, while others do not experience the same effect.

The study shows, among other things, that patients' response to vitamin B1 depends on gut bacteria, with researchers focusing particularly on a specific "good bug" that seems to play a crucial role.

"We know that about half of the fatigued patients benefit from treatment with vitamin B1, but we haven't been able to find anything that distinguishes those who had an effect from those who did not. Now we know that it's especially the bacterium Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (FP) that is the key," says Professor Christian Lodberg Hvas.

The study involved 40 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and chronic fatigue. Each patient received both vitamin B1 and a placebo in two periods of four weeks with a break in between.

"The bacterium is largely present in people with good health and only present in low numbers in people with chronic diseases. We don't know if it's just a marker for health or if it's part of the reason why healthy people are indeed healthy," explains Lodberg Hvas.

For some patients, fatigue can be explained by a lack of iron, vitamin D, or low thyroid function. These are all conditions that are easy to treat. But a large group of patients with inflammatory bowel disease remains with unexplained fatigue.

"We really want to help them, and although we don't have an explanation, we now have a cure—for those who have many FP in their gut," says Lodberg Hvas.

[ConservativeMind]

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is in most people’s guts, but can be in very low numbers. It is a butyrate-producing bacteria, and these typically multiply from soluble fiber ingestion.

It would seem getting more soluble fiber could help people to respond to the benefits of higher vitamin B1 administration.

[ConservativeMind]

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[roving]

I have that but my problem is I’m awake all night long. If I get 4 hours sleep, I consider that a good sleep.

[telescope115]

A timely post! I have been feeling particularly run-down lately. I have IBD and Thalassemia Minor. Some days I feel “decent”, and some days I just don’t have any energy.

Factor in my age (70), all the meds I take, and I thank God I feel as good as I do, but I know I could feel better. More fiber certainly can’t hurt, since I’m not flaring.

I also don’t expect to feel like I did when I was 20, or even 30, but it would be nice…

[minnesota_bound]

I started to take 100mg of B1 but the pills taste terrible and smell awful so I bought some orange flavored gummies that are 100mg that are arriving today.

NHS: The usual dose for adults is between 25mg and 100mg, taken once a day.

WebMD: Studies show that high blood sugar and insulin levels improve after taking vitamin B1 for 6 weeks. B1 also helps reduce high blood pressure and heart complications in people with diabetes.Aug 8, 2023

Neurobion: Should you take B1 and B12 together?
B1, B6 & B12 - Vitamins for a Healthy Nervous System | Neurobion
This is why research suggests that an optimal combination of the three vitamins, B1, B6 and B12, is more effective at relieving nerve damage symptoms and restoring nerve function than taking a single vitamin supplement.