>    For a reference you can read in any vitamin book that
>    thiamin was "important for carbohydrate metabolism".
>    As a co-enzyme it is also used up.

In these days of vaccines & glamor drugs, thiamin is not well
appreciated. See

 http://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/195x.htm#Klenner-1951

for some insight into thiamin's role in resistance to viral
infections, esp. poliomyelitis. Diet is not everything...
it's the *only* thing.

Paleo-parents looking for alternatives to the "immunization"
mainstream might want to check it out.