Summary and Conclusions
1. Experimental deficiency of vitamin B1 causes a disturbance of the carbohydrate metabolism characterized of the carbohydrate metabolism characterized by a rise in the blood sugar and in the glycogen content of liver and muscle. Although a diminished carbohydrate tolerance is encountered in other forms of avitaminoisis and aberration from the normal state, it is most consistent and marked in experimental B1 deficiency.
2. The clinical syndrome of diabetes mellitus is suggestive of a nutritional disturbance and there is reason to think that a deficiency of vitamin B1 may be a factor in the production and clinical course of this condition.
3. In a series of eleven case of proven diabetes mellitus (according to present day standards) to whom an average of ten mgms. of vitamin B1 were administered daily for twenty-eight consecutive days, six (or 54.6%) showed an increased carbohydrate utilization. Five cases (45.4%) showed no increase. Two of the six positive cases lost the gain in carbohydrate utilization as soon as the administration of vitamin B1 was stopped. In four cases, the increase continued for periods ranging from two to ten months. Two of these four are still maintaining the gain.
4. Further study of this problem is merited.
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Presented at the 38th Annual Session of the American Gastro-Enterological Association, Atlantic City, N. J., June 10–11, 1935.
Approved by the Publications’s Committee of the Association.
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Vorhaus, M.G., Williams, R.R. & Waterman, R.E. Studies on crystalline vitamin B1: Observation in diabetes. American Journal of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition 2, 541–557 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03000924
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03000924