Ah… summer. Longer days, sunny skies, sandy beaches… and mosquitoes. Lots and lots of mosquitoes.
For some, this isn’t too big of a deal, as mosquito repellent has been on the market since 1956.
But, if you’re like me at all and you not only want to stop smelling like the burnt remains of a chemical plant after using repellent, but also are scared of the adverse effects of DEET in sprays and are more prone to getting bit (seriously though, mosquitoes seemed to love me and only me at parties), then taking Vitamin B1 could be your saving grace.
Vitamin B1 (also known as thiamine) is an essential vitamin your body needs. It can be found in foods such as yeast, oatmeal, brown rice, asparagus, kale, liver and eggs and is important in fighting stress and boosting immunity.
As one of the water-soluble vitamins, any excess that your body doesn’t use gets flushed out when you urinate, so there’s no need to worry about taking too much.
What’s incredible about the relationship between Vitamin B1 and mosquitoes is it has the potential to change the way you smell to the little buggers. Those with enough Vitamin B1 in their systems tend to smell “yeasty” to mosquitoes, making them unappealing to bite.
It doesn’t, however, change the way you smell to other humans, so don’t worry about smelling like old bread around your friends.