Plant compound piperine, what the natural black pepper bioenhancer can do.

Black pepper is not only one of the most commonly used spices in kitchens around the world. It also contains the plant substance piperine.

Black pepper not only gives your meals a lot of taste, but also has a positive effect on your health. Thus, piperine can be used as a bioenhancer, a type of natural enhancer capable of bioavailability of active ingredients, nutrients and vitamins. 

What is piperine?

Pepper comes from the pepper family (Piperaceae). It is made from the ground fruits, i.e. the peppercorns. Piperine is also formed when ethanol is extracted from black pepper and then crystallized.

Piperine is the main alkaloid of black pepper (Black pepper) and the carrier of the hot pepper taste. The piperine content in black pepper is usually between 5% and 10%. However, it is not nearly as hot as the capsaicin contained in chilies. Overall, the agitator is healthy and acts as an antioxidant.

Black pepper: and its use in traditional medicine

In ancient Chinese and Indian medicine, black pepper was used as a natural remedy. It was primarily used to relieve pain and treat colds (2) (6). It has also been used to improve blood circulation, increase salivation and stimulate appetite.

In the western world, black pepper is mainly known as a spice, but some of its health-promoting properties are increasingly becoming the focus of studies, these properties are primarily antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial in nature.

How does piperine work in the body?

The mechanism of action different herbal bioenhancers may be similar or different. (6) Bioenhancers are able to increase absorption from the gastrointestinal tract or to inhibit enzymes involved in the biotransformation of a drug or nutrient.

They reduce the conversion of the respective drug or nutrient prevent and thus also their excretion rate. As a result, more of the respective nutrient can be absorbed via the intestinal tract. Since piperine is a pungent substance, even a short-term, high-dose supply can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and lead to unwanted symptoms.

Piperine a natural bioenhancer

The term "bioavailability enhancer" was first coined by Indian scientists at the Regional Research Laboratory in Jammu (RRL, today Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine), who discovered and scientifically confirmed piperine in 1979 as the world's first bioavailability enhancer. (5) Piperine has been found to increase the bioavailability of various drugs between 30 and 200%.

Further studies indicate that piperine can be used as a bioenhancer . Bioenhancers are natural enhancers that are able to bioavailability of active ingredients, nutrients and vitamins. 

The increase in bioavailability was 2000%. The study shows that piperine enhances the serum concentration, extent of absorption and bioavailability of curcumin in humans with no adverse effects.

Researchers have shown in studies (1) that black pepper can increase the absorption of turmeric by 2000%. For these reasons, piperine common as an ingredient in many dietary supplements used.

"It is safe, effective, economical, easily procured, non-addictive, and has a widely-based effect on several classes of drug." from the technical article Bioenhancers: Revolutionary concept to market (5)

Furthermore, the bioenergetic effect of piperine has been demonstrated in several other studies (5) showing that Piperine can improve the absorption of numerous nutrients. This includes: Vitamin C, Selenium, Beta-Carotin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Coenzym Q.

Piperine a natural antioxidant

How many Sphytochemicals also possesses piperine antioxidant abilities, this means that piperine can neutralize free radicals in the body.

The results depict that piperine possesses direct antioxidant activity against various free radicals. from the study: In vitro antioxidant activity of piperine (3).

The antioxidant effect of piperine has already been clearly proven in studies. This proof takes place in so-called in-vitro studies, these are studies with cell cultures in the test tube. Here it could Piperine effectively neutralizes free radicals.

pepper a natural Eanti-inflammatory 

The anti-inflammatory effect of piperine was tested in vitro on interleukin 1beta (IL1beta)-stimulated fibroblasts such as synoviocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In the study, piperine inhibited the expression of IL6 and MMP13 and reduced the production of PGE2.

"These results suggest that piperine has anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antiarthritic effects in an arthritis animal model", from the study Anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic effects of piperine in human (4).

In view of the results, piperine should therefore be further investigated with a view to its use as a drug or as a dietary supplement for the treatment of arthritis.

Use of piperine as a dietary supplement

Precisely because of its ability as a bioenhancer and its antioxidant properties, piperine is often used in supplements. Especially brands that know about the value of this unique natural substance like to use it to raise their products to a better price-performance level. 

What should you look out for when taking supplements?

Manufacturers often make the mistake of thinking more is more, but this is not the case. When buying dietary supplements, make sure that the piperine content is not too high. No more than 5mg should be taken per daily dose be included. A high-quality extract should also contain >90% piperine. An alternative is also the Use of pure organic pepper Flour.

Beyond Nutrition products with piperine:

Piperine is an integral part of Beyond Nutrition's nutrient combinations. Right from the start we knew about dhe positive properties of this plant substance and how to put it on smart way with other nutrients combine can.

• Beyond Vitality is a premium nutrient combination for your energy metabolism, immune system and against listlessness. Packed with high-quality natural vitamins, antioxidants and plant substances, it revitalizes body and mind.
  
  
• Beyond Recovery is a nutrient combination for the night with ingredients such as vitamin B6, L-trypophan, magnesium and chamomile extract that support your recovery and regeneration.
  
  
• Beyond CreaPro is a unique combination for strength athletes and athletes. It contains creatine monohydrate, magnesium citrate and black pepper piperine. Creatine promotes muscle growth and speed, magnesium supports muscle function.

Important facts about taking piperine

1. Caution when taking with medicines

However, since piperine can affect the levels of a number of drugs, caution should be exercised when it is taken with other drugs whose levels it affects. It can increase the effectiveness of medicines, therefore dose reduction is required to avoid toxicity. The list is still being researched and updated. (5)

Our tip: If in doubt, seek advice from a doctor or never take piperine together with medicines, but at different times over a period of several hours.

2. Do not overdose

Since piperine is a pungent substance, even a short-term, high-dose supply can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and lead to undesirable symptoms.

The safety value NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) set by the "European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)" is currently 5 mg piperine/day. The intake of piperine should therefore not exceed 5 mg per day. More on this in study (7).

Sources

(1) Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9619120/

(2) Piperine—The Bioactive Compound of Black Pepper: From Isolation to Medicinal Formulations
https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1541-4337.12246

(3) In vitro antioxidant activity of piperine
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11031726/

(4) Anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic effects of piperine in human
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19327174/

(5) Bioenhancers: Revolutionary concept to market
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3151395/

(6) Piperine: A comprehensive review of methods of isolation, purification, and biological properties
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590098620300142

(7) Safety Aspects of the Use of Isolated Piperine Ingested as a Bolus
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8467119/