Bioperine

Bioperine® is a standardized extract from the fruit of Piper nigrum L (black pepper) or Piper longum L (long pepper). It contains 95 percent of piperine. Bioperine® may be co-administered with various nutrients for both human and animal health.

How does Bioperine® work?

The metabolic process that generates energy at the cellular level in the human body is called thermogenesis. Though thermogenesis has been identified as a key factor in maintaining weight loss, it has also been identified as playing an integral role in utilizing the daily food and nutrients that the human body consume s. It sets in motion the mechanisms that lead to digestion and subsequent gastrointestinal absorption. Piperine, in the patented form of Bioperine® enhances the body's natural thermogenic activity - hence the term Thermonutrient®.

This enhancement may be explained as a means of increasing the thermal energy sufficient to "power up" the mechanism related to thermogenesis. This in turn results in increased metabolic processes that creates a "demand" for "supply" of a broad range of nutrients that contribute to metabolism, i.e. vitamins, minerals, herbals, amino acids, etc. It is as if Bioperine® activates a metabolic paddle wheel, of sorts, that selectively provides a more efficient mode of nutrient transportation into the blood.

The Advantages of Bioperine®

Bioperine® is the only product sourced out of piperine to obtain a patented status for its ability to increase the bioavailability of nutritional compounds. Secondly, it is the only source from piperine to have undergone clinical studies in the U.S. to substantiate its safety and efficacy for nutritional use.

Studies and Research

The subtle, yet potent properties of Bioperine® have been measured in several clinical studies with healthy volunteers in the U.S. These studies measured the absorption of three distinct categories of products. The categories evaluated with and without Bioperine® were fat- soluble (beta-carotene), water-soluble (vitamin B 6 ) and a mineral (selenium, in the form of selenomethionine). Gastrointestinal absorption of all the studied nutrients, as measured by amounts present in the blood, increased dramatically when administered with Bioperine® as compared to the control group receiving the nutrient alone. Selenium levels increased by 30%, beta-carotene increased by 60%, and the vitamin B 6 increase was slightly higher than beta-carotene. All studies used Bioperine® in the amount of 5 mg per dose.

Truth in ancient wisdom

A recognized feature of the 6000-year-old practice of Ayurveda is its preoccupation with the proper functioning of the digestive tract, specifically the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Nearly two-thirds of all traditional Ayurvedic formulas contain a special blend of ingredients, which includes black pepper, for this purpose.

There are various reasons discussed in scientific literature for the unfavorable nutritional status of a given population, but the focus essentially comes down to one single problem-nutrient bioavailability. By far, the greatest factors that reduce the bioavailability of nutrients are those that diminish the intestine's absorption capacity. Even today, there is a growing consensus among nutritionists that the obstacle to better nutrition clearly lies in the efficient delivery of nutrients to the body. It is not what you eat that counts, it is what you absorb .

Learn more about Bioperine®

Research and Studies

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Planta Med. (1998) 64(4):353-356
Influence Of Piperine On The Pharmacokinetics Of Curcumin In Animals And Human Volunteers
G. Shoba, D. Joy, T. Joseph, M. Majeed, R. Rajendran and P.S. Srinivas

ABSTRACT
The medicinal properties of curcumin obtained from Curcuma longa L. cannot be utilized because of poor bioavailability due to its rapid metabolism in the liver and intestinal wall. In this study, the effect of combining piperine, a known inhibitor of hepatic and intestinal glucuronidation, was evaluated on the bioavailability of curcumin in rats and healthy human volunteers. When curcumin was given alone, in the dose 2 g/kg to rats, moderate serum concentrations were achieved over a period of 4 h. Concomitant administration of piperine 20 mg/kg increased the serum concentration of curcumin for a short period of 1-2 h post drug. Time to maximum was significantly increased (P < 0.02) while elimination half life and clearance significantly decreased (P < 0.02) and the bioavailability was increased by 154%. On the other hand in humans after a dose of 2 g curcumin alone, serum levels were either undetectable or very low. Concomitant administration of piperine 20 mg produced much higher concentrations from 0.25 to 1 h post drug (P < 0.01 at 0.25 and 0.5 h; P < 0.001 at 1 h); the increase in bioavailability was 2000%. The study shows that in the dosages used, piperine enhances the serum concentration, extent of absorption and bioavailability of curcumin in both rats and humans with no adverse effects.

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Nutrition Research (1999) 19(3) 381-388
Piperine, An Alkaloid Derived From Black Pepper, Increases Serum Response Of Beta-Carotene During 14-Days Of Oral Beta-Carotene Supplementation
Vladimir Badmaev, M.D., Ph.D., Muhammed Majeed, Ph.D. and Edward P. Norkus Ph.D.

ABSTRACT
The effectiveness of an extract from the fruit of black pepper, consisting of a minimum of 98% pure alkaloid piperine was evaluated for its ability to improve serum response of beta-carotene during oral supplementation using a double-blind, crossover study design. Subjects were randomly selected to ingest a daily beta-carotene dose (15 mg) either with 5 mg of piperine or placebo during each of two 14-day supplementation periods. Inter-subject variability in pre-supplementation serum beta-carotene levels was minimized by limiting the selection of volunteers to healthy adult males with fasting serum beta-carotene values < 20 mcg/dL. The results indicate that significantly greater increases (p < 0.0001) in serum beta-carotene occurred during supplementation with beta carotene plus piperine (49.8±9.6 mcg/dL vs. 30.9±5.4 mcg/dL) compared to beta-carotene plus placebo. Supplementation with beta-carotene plus piperine for 14 days produced a 60% greater increase in area under the serum beta- carotene curve (AUC) than was observed during supplementation with beta-carotene plus placebo. We suggest that the serum response during oral beta-carotene supplementation is improved through non-specific, thermogenic property(s) of piperine described in this paper as thermonutrient action.

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J. Nutr. Biochem. (2000) 11: 109-113
Piperine Derived From Black Pepper Increases The Plasma Levels Of Coenzyme Q10 Following Oral Supplementation
Vladimir Badmaev, M.D., Ph.D., Muhammed Majeed, Ph.D., and Lakshmi Prakash, Ph.D.

ABSTRACT
An extract from the fruits of black pepper consisting of a minimum of 98% pure piperine was evaluated in a clinical study using a double-blind design. The relative bioavailability of 90 mg and 120 mg of coenzyme Q10 administered in a single dose experiment or in separate experiments for 14 and 21 days with placebo or with 5 mg of piperine was determined by comparing measured changes in plasma concentration. The inter-subject variability was minimized by limiting the selection of individuals to healthy adult male volunteers with (pre-supplementation) fasting coenzyme Q10 values between 0.30 and 0.60 mg/L. The results of a single dose study and the 14-day study indicate smaller, but not significant, increases in plasma concentrations of coenzyme Q10 in the control group compared to the group receiving coenzyme Q10 with a supplement of piperine. Supplementation of 120 mg of coenzyme Q10 with piperine for 21 days produced a statistically significant (p=0.0348), approximately 30% greater, area under the plasma curve (AUC) than observed during supplementation with coenzyme Q10 plus placebo. It is postulated that the bioenhancing mechanism of piperine to increase plasma levels of supplemental coenzyme Q10 is nonspecific and possibly based on its description in the literature as a thermonutrient.

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