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The Effect of Thiamine Depletion and Restoration of Muscular Efficiency and Endurance¹

Two Figures

Department of Vital Economics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York

1. Muscular endurance was greatly decreased on a diet which was low in the B-complex vitamins (thiamine 0.27 mg. daily). The effect was observed first in about 10 days to 2 weeks of the deficiency. When B-complex vitamins were added to the diet in the form of a natural source, such as a 98% whole wheat bread in amounts containing 0.55 and 1.10 mg. thiamine, the muscular endurance was increased significantly.

2. The inclusion of thiamine hydrochloride in pure form in a low B-complex diet resulted in marked improvement in endurance ability. Pyridoxine (in one experiment) had a similar effect, but riboflavin had none.

3. The inclusion of B-complex vitamins in a diet already adequate in these vitamins did not result in increased muscular endurance.

4. The muscular efficiency in the post-absorptive state remained the same for moderate work, even though the body was low in the B-complex vitamins, particularly thiamine, for a period of at least a month. The addition of B-complex vitamins, including thiamine, in such amounts that the daily requirements were met, did not increase the muscular efficiency in the post-absorptive state.

5. A small significant increase in muscular efficiency for moderate work was obtained with one subject in two different studies, when the B-complex vitamins were supplied to the diet by the peeled-wheat bread, and the experiments were conducted in the post-cibal state. A small increase, which was not significant, was obtained with another subject when a shorter series of experiments were conducted in the post-cibal state. It is concluded that any increase in efficiency which occurs with administration of the B-complex vitamins, on low B-complex diets of at least a month's duration, is in the post-cibal and not the post-absorptive state. This suggests that the entrance into the circulation and access to the muscles simultaneously of fuel and vitamins which promote release of energy are important. The administration of thiamine alone did not result in any increase in efficiency in the postcibal state.

6. Carbohydrate oxidation, as a source of energy for moderate muscular work, was not decreased during a period of low B-complex intake for a period at least as long as a month.

7. The subjective symptoms of individuals on the diet, selected especially for its low thiamine content, and their improvement when B-complex vitamins were added to the diet in the peeled-wheat bread, have been noted as similar to those described by Williams, Wilder and associates ('40, '42). We confirm Johnson and associates ('42) in finding that the B-complex vitamins, given in these experiments as peeled-wheat bread, may improve efficiency and endurance whereas thiamine improves endurance only.

Manuscript received 25 May 1944.