Vitamin B1 is also called thiamine. It is a water-soluble vitamin that participates in many of the chemical reactions in the body. If you ingest more vitamin B1 than your body needs, the excess is excreted in urine and through the skin via perspiration. The fact that vitamin B1 is eliminated by the skin that gives it the potential to deter mosquitoes. Especially if you dislike commercial mosquito repellents, thiamine may be worth a try.
Vitamin B1 Metabolism
Because of its water solubility vitamin, B1 is not stored very well by your body. Therefore, you need to consume this nutrient on a daily basis, either in your diet or in the form of a supplement. Thiamine is absorbed from the upper and lower parts of the small intestine, and excess is excreted in your urine or through your skin when you sweat. Sweating out excess thiamine through the skin may offer some protection against mosquitoes and other insects.
Mosquito Repellent
To benefit from thiamine's mosquito repelling action, higher doses must be consumed to ensure that there will be excessive amounts to eliminate through the skin. Doses of 50 to 100 mg per day are needed, notes Elson Haas, M.D., in his book "Staying Healthy with Nutrition." At this daily dosage, you will not be one of those people who has "sweet blood" and who seems to attract all the mosquitoes.
High Doses Are Not Problematic
Because vitamin B1 is water soluble and not stored to any great extent, any excess is eliminated. Therefore, even at high doses, thiamine is safe. In fact, MedlinePlus notes that no known poisoning is linked to vitamin B1. Your body knows how to take the vitamin B1 it needs for optimal function and get rid of the rest. High doses of vitamin B1 are also used to ease stress, relax tense muscles, treat diarrhea, decrease fever, reduce infection, ease cramps and treat headaches, notes Elson.
More Research Needed
The University of Wisconsin reported that studies that examine vitamin B and its mosquito-repelling potential do not support claims that vitamin B is an effective mosquito repellent. However, these studies took place in a laboratory, and no studies, to date, have been conducted in a natural setting. More research is needed to validate the usefulness of vitamin B1 as mosquito repellent. Even so, if you are plagued by those pesky critters and they drive you crazy, it may be worthwhile to try a daily vitamin B1 supplement at the dosage recommended above. Because there are no risks of toxicity with vitamin B1, you have nothing to lose.
Originally posted by Livestrong.com
Refined carbohydrates, too much sugar, teas, pops, coffees, and other diuretics are how people are losing their vitamin B1 and become deficient. I have seen through practice that my patients who are most deficient on their B1 tend to have more problems with mosquitoes. Most insect repellants out there are loaded with toxic chemicals, including the pesticide DEET, which is so poisonous that even the Environmental Protection Agency says you should wash it off your skin when you return indoors, avoid breathing it in and not spray it directly on your face. Think about it--if this chemical can kill mosquitoes, it can likely do some harm to other life forms too. Most chemicals will mimic estrogen when inside your body too. They are classified as xenoestrogens meaning false estrogen.
Dr. Jeff
