Does your beef say it comes from the US? Well, it may not...B1, fatigue, and why you may be deficient
B1 deficiency can be caused by meds you take or foods you eat; beef labeling and deception
Beef From the USA-It May Not Originate in the U.S.
Did you know that beef purchased with the USDA label does not have to originate in the United States? Your beef can come from any country and be labeled from the USA as long as the beef has been “transformed” in the U.S. This means the meat can be sliced or re-packaged in the U.S. but not originate from here.
I am looking into a quality beef solution that can be shipped across the U.S. Finding what I am looking for is difficult because while many types of meat may be grass-fed and free of hormones and antibiotics, the grass is often sprayed with pesticides and herbicides.
I may have found a place and will fill you in once I visit and taste the meat.
Thiamine, Fatigue, and Why You May Not Be Getting Enough
Note: Thiamin (e) is spelled with and without the e at the end.
Thiamine is called B1 because it was the first B vitamin identified.
B1 is in the free form in plants and a phosphorylated form in animal products. However, only the free state can be absorbed. Thiamine from meat products has to be freed from the phosphate group, and Thiamine needs to be converted once absorbed, and the process requires magnesium.
Many people are magnesium deficient; thus, even if you take in plenty of Thiamine, you may not get enough to meet your health needs.
Because it is a water-soluble vitamin, depletion can occur rapidly if not continuously replenished. B1 is critical for energy production, and deficiency can result in fatigue, leg heaviness, mental confusion, and memory impairment.
While it may be challenging to meet your B1 needs via meat products if you are magnesium deficient, some foods also contain antithiamine factors (ATFs), which can render B1 inactive. These foods/beverages include coffee and black tea, cabbage, fermented fish (not a concern in cooked fish), and blueberries.
Most drinking water contains added chlorine which can also destroy Thiamine. For example, cooking rice in non-filtered, chlorinated water can reduce the thiamine content by one-third compared to using filtered or distilled water. I suggest using a Berkley or other filtration system that removes chlorine.
Your medications can also deplete B1. Loop diuretics such as furosemide, phenytoin, oral contraceptives, and antacids may deplete B1. Deficiencies in other B vitamins can also contribute to B1 deficiency.
Low B1 levels may not result in accurate lab test results. If a thiamine deficiency is suspected, magnesium levels should be tested.
B1 is also needed for liver protection, nerve health, vascular health, and kidney health in people with diabetes.
Foods high in thiamine include salmon, flax seeds, navy beans, green peas, brown rice, acorn squash, asparagus, and pork chops.
What is benfotiamine?
This is a lab-derived form of B1 which may provide increased bioavailability and can be useful for those with a B1 deficiency related to nutrients or medications that cause depletion. Read your multivitamin or B complex label to see if your B1 is in this form. If supplementing with B1, take it in a B complex form (all your B vitamins together).
Sources
https://doi.org/10.1177/0148607114565245
https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/thiamin-b1-foods.php
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/thiamin-healthprofessional/