Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin B1 (unspecified)
For the health condition: Anorexia
Synopsis
Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is sometimes used to support or treat anorexia, particularly in the context of anorexia nervosa or severe malnutrition. The primary justification for its use is scientific, but the evidence supporting its effectiveness is modest and mostly indirect. Thiamine deficiency can occur in individuals with poor nutritional intake, as seen in patients with anorexia nervosa, due to prolonged restriction of calories and nutrients. Thiamine is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and neurological function, and deficiency can lead to serious complications such as Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a potentially life-threatening neurological disorder. While routine thiamine supplementation is recommended in malnourished patients and those at risk of refeeding syndrome, direct evidence that vitamin B1 improves anorexia itself (i.e., the psychological or behavioral aspects of the eating disorder) is lacking. Instead, supplementation serves to prevent or treat deficiency-related complications rather than to treat anorexia per se. Clinical guidelines recommend thiamine supplementation in malnourished individuals, especially before initiating refeeding, to reduce the risk of neurological complications. However, the use of thiamine for anorexia is thus primarily supportive and preventive rather than curative, and high-quality studies directly linking thiamine supplementation to improved anorexia outcomes are limited.
Other health conditions supported by Vitamin B1 (unspecified)
AlcoholismAnorexia
Depression
Diabetes
Fatigue
Memory and Brain Function
Nerve Damage
Peripheral Neuropathy
Wasting