4.1 Role in Metabolism

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Thiamine serves as an indispensable cofactor for several enzymes that drive carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism. Its central role is in energy production, particularly in oxidative decarboxylation reactions that feed into the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), which generates ATP for cellular energy.

Without adequate thiamine, pyruvate and other intermediates accumulate, leading to lactic acidosis, impaired mitochondrial function, and neuronal energy crisis—a hallmark of thiamine-deficient states.