Vitamin B1 deficiency increases the risk of sepsis (blood poisoning)

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition and a frequent but underreported cause of death. The condition is caused by a dysregulated immune response to an infection, which can lead to hyperinflammation and organ failure. Diet, lifestyle, and aging processes play a major role in the risk of developing the disease. Previous studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is a common risk factor. According to a new Chinese study, it appears that vitamin B1 deficiency also increases the risk of developing sepsis. Vitamin B1 deficiency is primarily caused by a refined diet, overconsumption of alcohol, excessive coffee intake, antacids and diuretic medications, as well as genetic defects.

Sepsis is a serious case of blood poisoning, and the disease usually originates from infections in organs such as the lungs, urinary tract, or skin. If a wound becomes infected, the bacteria can enter the lymphatic system, appearing as a red, warm, and tender streak on the skin. Within a few hours, sepsis can affect body temperature, circulation, the lungs, and internal organs. Septic shock is a life-threatening condition caused by a range of metabolic disturbances, a drastic drop in blood pressure, and an overreaction of the immune system with hyperinflammation that damages healthy tissue. Symptoms include high fever, rapid heartbeat, breathing difficulty, confusion, lethargy, and disorganized speech.
Many people experience long-term effects after sepsis. According to new data from 2025, 35 percent of patients die from the disease, and the risk increases by up to 66 percent for older people and other vulnerable groups.
Vitamin D deficiency is known to increase the risk of developing sepsis and there has also been focus on vitamin B1, which functions as an important coenzyme in the cell’s energy metabolism and other metabolic processes. However, since the relationship between vitamin B1 and the risk of developing sepsis has not been well understood, the researchers behind the Chinese study wanted to examine this relationship more closely.

• According to the WHO, sepsis is the third leading cause of death, after cancer and cardiovascular diseases
• Diet and immune system capacity are crucial in both the prevention and treatment of sepsis

Vitamin B1 deficiency significantly increases the risk of sepsis and septic shock

The study included a total of 67 patients who were hospitalized at Mongolian Baogang Hospital. Forty-one of the patients had been clinically diagnosed with sepsis, and 26 of the patients served as a control group, diagnosed with pneumonia without clinical signs of sepsis. The participants’ vitamin B1 levels were measured through special blood tests. The researchers also collected a range of other clinical data from electronic medical records.
The study showed that the sepsis group had significantly lower blood levels of vitamin B1 compared to the control group. There was thus a negative association between blood levels of vitamin B1 and the risk of developing organ failure. This means that the less vitamin B1 patients had in their blood, the greater the risk of developing sepsis and life-threatening complications as a result of hyperinflammation and metabolic disturbances. The researchers also found a correlation between blood levels of vitamin B1 and markers such as:

• Procalcitonin – a protein that increases significantly in the blood during severe bacterial infections
• D-dimer – a protein fragment in the blood that appears when a blood clot is broken down
• Creatinine – a waste product in the blood used to assess kidney function
• Cardiac troponin I – proteins in the heart muscle that are released when damage occurs
• Albumin – measured to assess fluid balance as well as damage to the liver and kidneys

The researchers concluded that vitamin B1 deficiency in the blood as an isolated factor significantly increases the risk of developing sepsis, suggesting that vitamin B1 deficiency disrupts several metabolic processes related to the development of sepsis. The greater the deficiency, the higher the risk of septic shock and life-threatening complications.

Facts about vitamin B1, sources, deficiencies, and supplementation

• Good sources include whole grains, seeds, nuts, garlic, mushrooms, vegetables, meat, offal, and fish
• 30% of the world’s population lacks vitamin B1, primarily due to ultra-processed foods and beverages
• Persistently elevated blood sugar leads to increased urinary loss of vitamin B1
• Chronic inflammation, which occurs in many chronic diseases, in itself lowers the body’s levels
• Excess alcohol intake in particular, but also too much coffee/tea, can make it more difficult to utilize the vitamin
• Antacid medications, diuretics, and environmental toxins such as lead and mold also impair utilization through various mechanisms
• Congenital or acquired genetic factors can increase the need
• The official daily recommendations, RI, are between 1.1 and 1.3 mg
• According to several researchers, this is not always sufficient to optimize the body’s status
• In several studies, very large daily supplements (e.g., 100–600 mg) have been used for various deficiency symptoms and diseases

References:

Wenbo Yan et al. Vitamin B1 and sepsis: a prospective single-center study. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2026

Julia Kazmierczak-Baranska et al. Thiamine (vitamin B1) – An Essential Health Regulator. Nutrients 2025

Majid Shojaei et al. The Correlation between Serum Level of Vitamin D Outcome of Sepsis Patients; a Cross-sectional Study. Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine 2019

Palle Toft og Thomas Strøm. Sepsis, den tredjehyppigste dødsårsag, registreres ikke i Danmark. Ugeskrift for Læger 2018