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For adults aged 18 and over, the recommended daily amount of thiamine (vitamin B1) is 0.1 milligrams per megajoule of energy. So how much you need depends on how much energy you take in from your food and drink.[1]
On this page, you can read what vitamin B1 is, what the guidelines say about a value that is too low or too high, what affects your value and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: thiamine, aneurine, thiamine diphosphate (TDP). At the lab: VB1.
Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, is a water-soluble vitamin. It used to be called aneurine as well.[1]
In food and drink, it occurs as thiamine or thiamine diphosphate (TDP). In supplements, it is called thiamine chloride hydrochloride or thiamine mononitrate.[1]
Your body absorbs thiamine well. You usually get enough from your diet.[1]
Thiamine is needed to turn carbohydrates into energy. Without thiamine, your body cannot use that energy properly.[1]
It is also important for your heart muscle, your nervous system and your brain to work well.[1]
Getting a little less than the recommended amount? That does not mean you have a deficiency straight away. For most people, the recommended amount is more than they need.[1]
Labplusarts, the laboratory BioProfile works with, uses a reference value of 50 to 150 nmol/l for vitamin B1 (VB1). The lab calls a value between those limits normal.[2]
| Value | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 50 to 150 nmol/l[2] | Normal according to the lab | The lab does not name a separate group |
Source: Labplusarts, the laboratory BioProfile works with. Reference value for the VB1 test.[2]
A low value can point to a thiamine deficiency. According to the Voedingscentrum, a deficiency can lead to problems with the nervous system and psychological symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating and memory loss. Numbness in the legs and heart problems can also be consequences.[1]
If you take in too much thiamine, you pass the excess out in your urine. According to the Voedingscentrum, no negative health effects of too much thiamine are known. There is also no tolerable upper limit.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
Thiamine comes from your diet. A 70 gram piece of cooked meat contains 0.34 milligrams of thiamine. A 150 ml glass of milk contains 0.05 milligrams.[1]
How much thiamine you need depends on the number of calories you take in from food and drink. If you eat more, you also need more thiamine.[1]
Thiamine deficiency is seen mainly in certain risk groups, such as people with an alcohol or drug addiction.[1]
A deficiency can also develop with a condition of the gastrointestinal tract. Of a large amount of thiamine, your intestines absorb only a small part.[1]
Vitamin B1 is included in BioProfile 121 and 150.[3]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 10 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 10 October 2026. Every number on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to check this page; after that check, the expert's name and the date of the check will appear at the top. This page offers explanation, not a diagnosis. Discuss a value outside the range with your GP.
