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Thiamine at 50 mg good for "mental acuity"

The RDA [for thiamine] ... is set at ... 1.4 mg. However, tests on volunteers at daily doses of about 50 mg have shown an increase in mental acuity.

Not only does thiamine keep the pests like fleas and mosquitoes at bay, it also makes the mind more acute.

"Thiamine is used in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)." — Wikipedia entry for thiamine

"One well-supported function of acetylcholine (ACh) in cortex is increased responsiveness to sensory stimuli, a form of attention." It helps improve hearing, sight and body-sense.

Learning and neuroplasticity is dependent on acetylcholine. It also help improves response to behavior cues.

GABA helps in the formation of synapses, thus improving neuroplasticity.

As for toxicity, high doses of thiamine are safe and harmless.

Reference

Thiamine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiamine
Acetylcholine's role in decision making: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcholine#Role_in_Decision_Making
GABA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma-Aminobutyric_acid

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