Vitamin B1 Enhances Motivation for Exercise by Raising Dopamine

• Thiamine deficiency explains previously mysterious disorders — When thiamine was first identified in the early 20th century, it shed light on conditions like beriberi, which affects movement, coordination, and circulation, and Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which impairs brain and nervous system function. These disorders have long plagued populations around the world without a clear cause.

• Early treatments focused solely on correcting deficiency — Once the link was established, public health efforts prioritized food fortification and basic thiamine supplementation. Medical use was aimed at reversing deficiency-related symptoms, especially in clinical settings or regions with limited dietary access to thiamine-rich foods.

• Symptoms of deficiency appear gradually — Symptoms of thiamine deficiency often emerge slowly as levels decline. These include fatigue, brain fog, irritability, poor appetite, muscle weakness, digestive issues, and light sensitivity.

If left unaddressed, it progresses to more serious forms of beriberi affecting the heart, nerves, or brain. For a more detailed look at what thiamine deficiency can feel like, read “Common Signs of Vitamin B1 Deficiency.”

• Researchers in Japan developed new thiamine derivatives — Standard thiamine is water-soluble and depends on active transport systems in the gut. These systems are easily saturated and often compromised by stress, illness, or alcohol use. As a result, absorption is not always reliable when demand is high.

To address these limitations, scientists created fat-soluble forms of thiamine that cross cell membranes more easily. One of the most notable was thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide (TTFD), designed to improve absorption and reach target tissues more efficiently, including the brain.

• Allithiamine, a naturally occurring derivative, was found in garlic — Discovered in the allium family of plants, allithiamine shares similar properties with TTFD. These derivatives act as prodrugs, converting into active thiamine once inside the body and crossing the blood-brain barrier more effectively than standard forms.⁴

• These developments shifted how thiamine was studied — With improved delivery, researchers began exploring the role of thiamine in areas beyond basic metabolism. The focus expanded to include mood, cognition, and physical performance — domains not traditionally linked to vitamin deficiency.

• TTFD showed early benefits for energy and recovery — Animal studies found that TTFD supported endurance and reduced fatigue.^5,6 In human trials, participants reported lower perceived exertion and faster recovery from physical stress. These effects were observed even in those without diagnosed deficiencies.⁷

• Activity rose sharply following TTFD administration — In this animal study, researchers administered either TTFD or saline, then tracked the animals’ physical activity and sleep-wake states. Compared to controls, animals that received TTFD showed a clear and immediate increase in physical movement.

The surge happened in two phases, with an early peak between 10 and 20 minutes and a second surge between 60 and 90 minutes after injection. Sleep data confirmed that animals rested between these two peaks, indicating that TTFD triggered two distinct bursts of activity rather than one prolonged effect.

• Wakefulness increased alongside physical movement — Animals that received TTFD spent significantly more time awake, while both slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep temporarily declined. These changes tracked closely with periods of heightened movement, suggesting the brain entered a more alert state without sacrificing overall rest.

TTFD is mostly excreted within 12 hours, which matches the observed duration of increased activity and alertness. Follow-up recordings showed no rebound in sleep, indicating that this shift was part of a balanced, time-limited response.

• TTFD’s effects align with the central fatigue model — According to an analysis by bioenergetic researcher Georgi Dinkov, the featured study offers evidence for what’s known as the central fatigue hypothesis.⁹

This framework suggests that fatigue often originates in the brain, not the body, triggered by shifts in dopamine and serotonin that suppress motivation and movement. By restoring dopamine activity in key brain regions like the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), TTFD helps re-engage the systems responsible for movement, alertness, and behavioral momentum.

• Other components of the arousal system are involved — The locus coeruleus (LC), which produces noradrenaline and projects to the same brain areas, is known to promote wakefulness and reduce REM and SWS when activated. The coordination between these systems explains the simultaneous rise in movement and alertness observed in this study.

• TTFD may also support recovery after exertion — Beyond enhancing exercise motivation, thiamine plays a key role in how your body clears fatigue once activity ends. It regulates pyruvate dehydrogenase, the enzyme that links glycolysis to the Krebs cycle. When this enzyme becomes sluggish, lactate builds up and the energy cost of movement increases.

At the same time, carbon dioxide (CO₂) production drops, which reduces tissue oxygen delivery and impairs the cellular environment needed for recovery. These shifts make exertion feel heavier and prolong post-exercise fatigue. By supporting efficient glucose oxidation, thiamine helps prevent this metabolic bottleneck, lowering excess lactate, restoring CO₂ output, and promoting a faster, more complete rebound.¹⁰

• Nerve function — Thiamine is sometimes called an “antistress” vitamin because of how it supports your central nervous system. It helps maintain healthy nerve cells and keeps your nervous system functioning properly.

In conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), thiamine levels in the brain and peripheral nerves drop by as much as 60%, leading to major disruptions in glucose metabolism.¹¹ There’s also early evidence that high doses of thiamine and biotin may help reverse nerve damage in Huntington’s disease by restoring the brain’s ability to process energy.¹²

• Long-term cognitive health — Keeping thiamine levels steady supports long-term brain health, especially as you age. Research has linked adequate thiamine to better cognitive function and a lower risk of disorders tied to cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s.^13,14

As explained by the Alzheimer’s Association, “Thiamine helps brain cells produce energy from sugar. When levels fall too low, brain cells cannot generate enough energy to function properly.”¹⁵

Impaired glucose metabolism is a well-established feature of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Some researchers believe this disruption stems from a decline in thiamine-dependent processes that normally keep energy production running smoothly.¹⁶

• Cardiovascular function — Thiamine plays a role in producing acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter your body uses to send signals between nerves and muscle tissue, including the heart. This signaling is essential for keeping your heartbeat steady and coordinated.

• Prevention of diabetes complications — Thiamine helps protect against complications of diabetes by reducing oxidative stress and supporting healthier glucose metabolism. Some research also suggests it could improve glucose tolerance over time.¹⁷

• Immune resilience — Low thiamine levels have been associated with worse outcomes in conditions like sepsis, pneumonia, and COVID-19. Because of its role in metabolic recovery, thiamine is now included as an essential part of treatment protocols, such as Dr. Paul Marik’s sepsis treatment.¹⁸

1. Prioritize whole-food sources of thiamine and limit what depletes it — Focus on nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods that naturally contain a broad spectrum of B vitamins to avoid creating an imbalance. Grass fed liver, pasture-raised eggs, nutritional yeast, and traditional fermented foods like natto are excellent options.

At the same time, avoid refined sugars, alcohol, and sulfite-preserved products, such as commercial wine and processed meats, which place stress on thiamine metabolism and impair absorption.

2. Use targeted supplementation when needed — Even with a good diet, stress, illness, and environmental exposures can raise your body’s demand for thiamine beyond what food provides. Supplementing is especially helpful if you’ve experienced brain fog, low mood, high sugar intake, or prolonged fatigue.

Thiamine hydrochloride is the standard form found in most multivitamins, but forms like benfotiamine and TTFD offer better absorption. When using TTFD, keep in mind that it promotes a more alert waking state, so it’s best taken earlier in the day.

3. Adjust your dose based on your body’s demands — While standard daily requirement for thiamine is 1.2 mg for men and 1.1 mg for women, actual needs rise with exertion, illness, and metabolic strain. In these situations, higher doses may help restore balance, especially if signs of deficiency are present.

Thiamine is water-soluble and nontoxic, even in large amounts. In clinical settings, doses between 3 and 8 grams per day have been used for conditions like Alzheimer’s with no adverse effects.

Based on an analysis by Dinkov, the dose used in the featured University of Tsukuba study translates to roughly 7.5 mg/kg in humans, or about 100 mg of TTFD or allithiamine daily for the average adult. Taken over a seven- to eight-day period, this protocol mirrors the study’s dopamine-enhancing, energizing effects without requiring long-term or extreme dosing.

4. Support thiamine activation with magnesium — Correct any suspected magnesium insufficiency or deficiency, as magnesium is required as a cofactor in the conversion of thiamine into its active form. Without adequate magnesium, even high doses of thiamine may not be fully effective. Read this article for my recommended strategy regarding magnesium supplementation.