The nerve one
Benfotiamine
A fat-friendly form that raises B1 levels well. The most studied for nerve support.
Good for: Nerve support
What variations of thiamine exist?
Helps turn food, especially carbohydrates, into energy and keeps nerves and the heart working normally. Deficiency is more likely with heavy alcohol use, weight-loss surgery, or long-term vomiting. It comes in 4 forms, and they aren't all the same. Here's how they differ.
For education only. What's right for you depends on your health and your medications, so check with your provider before you start or switch. Book a consult
Our top pick
- Also consider
- Budget-friendly: the standard one (Thiamine HCl)
Every form, in plain words
The nerve one
Benfotiamine
A fat-friendly form that raises B1 levels well. The most studied for nerve support.
Good for: Nerve support
The standard one
Thiamine HCl
The usual, inexpensive form. Your body absorbs it well in normal amounts.
Good for: Everyday use · Budget-friendly
The multivitamin one
Thiamine mononitrate
Common in multivitamins and fortified foods. Works much like thiamine HCl.
The garlic-born one
Allithiamine (TTFD)
A fat-friendly form first found in garlic. Less studied than benfotiamine.
Spotting a good one on the shelf
Look for
- Look for 'Benfotiamine' on the label (the nerve one)
Watch out for
- Nerve-pain products that claim to treat a condition
- Several forms of B1 in one product, which makes the total hard to tell
Check with your provider first if…
- You drink heavily, had weight-loss surgery, or have severe vomiting in pregnancy. These can cause a serious shortage that needs medical care, not just a supplement.
- You take a 'water pill' like furosemide long term, which can lower B1
- You're pregnant or breastfeeding. The amount in a prenatal is fine. Ask before adding more.
In Dr. Lesher's store
5 products in Dr. Lesher's dispensary have thiamine. Here's which form, where the label says.
Check with your provider before taking any of these, especially if you're pregnant or take medications.
Patient One MediNutritionals
NerveCare
Has benfotiamine (the nerve one), good for nerve support
100 mg per serving
MegaFood
Baby & Me 2™
Has thiamine HCl (the standard one)
0.75 mg per serving
MegaFood
Baby & Me 2™ Postnatal Multi
Has thiamine HCl (the standard one)
0.7 mg per serving
Designs for Health
CatecholaCalm™
Has thiamine HCl (the standard one)
16.67 mg per serving
BioPharma Scientific
nanoLEAN®, Natural Berry
Has thiamine HCl (the standard one)
0.4 mg per serving
Ready to find the root cause?
Dr. Lesher is a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on autoimmune and chronic conditions in women. Since 2020, she's helped hundreds of patients stop managing symptoms and start healing.