Piperine is the main alkaloid in black pepper (Piper nigrum), responsible for its spicy taste. Typically making up 5–10 % of black pepper, it’s much milder than chili’s capsaicin. Piperine stimulates metabolism and exhibits antimicrobial effects. But what truly sets it apart is its role as a natural bio‑enhancer—a substance that significantly boosts the bioavailability of nutrients, vitamins, and active compounds.
What Is Piperine?
Extracted naturally from ground peppercorns or via ethanol extraction, piperine is the compound that gives black pepper its characteristic heat and health benefits.
Black Pepper in Traditional Medicine
Used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, black pepper helped with pain relief, circulation, digestion, and appetite stimulation. Today, research focuses on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties.
How Piperine Works in the Body
Piperine enhances absorption by influencing digestive enzymes and increasing gut permeability. It can inhibit enzymes that break down nutrients, reducing their removal and allowing more to enter the bloodstream. However, high doses can irritate the gut—most effective at low doses.
Piperine as a Natural Bio‑Enhancer
The term “bio‑enhancer” was coined by Indian researchers in 1979 when piperine was first shown to enhance drug bioavailability. Studies reveal it can increase absorption by 30–200%, and specifically improve curcumin uptake by up to 2000%:
“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.”
Its ability isn’t limited to curcumin—it also enhances uptake of vitamin C, selenium, beta-carotene, vitamin A, B6, CoQ10, amino acids, minerals like zinc, magnesium, and even certain medications.
Piperine as a Natural Antioxidant
Like many plant compounds, piperine has strong antioxidant activity:
“The results depict that piperine possesses direct antioxidant activity against various free radicals.”
These findings, derived from in‑vitro studies, confirm its ability to neutralize free radicals in test-tube models.
Piperine’s Anti‑Inflammatory Effects
In studies involving fibroblasts from rheumatoid arthritis patients, piperine reduced expression of inflammatory markers like IL‑6 and PGE2:
“These results suggest that piperine has anti‑inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antiarthritic effects in an arthritis animal model.”
Using Piperine in Supplements
Thanks to its bio‑enhancing, antioxidant, and anti‑inflammatory properties, piperine is a valuable addition to supplements—when used wisely. Here’s what to look for:
- Don’t overdo it – effective doses exceed 5 mg/day.
- Choose high-quality extract – >90% piperine or pure black pepper powder works well.
- Our choice – Most Beyond Nutrition products use 2 mg/day per serving to balance efficacy and tolerance.
Products Featuring Piperine
- Beyond Vitality – supports energy metabolism and immunity with antioxidants and plant compounds.
- Beyond Recovery – promotes rest and regeneration using B6, L‑Tryptophan, magnesium, and chamomile.
Important Usage Information
Piperine can raise levels of certain drugs—consult a physician or space intake from pharmaceuticals by several hours. For safety reasons we only use 2mg per daily dosage in our products.