You may think black pepper’s only function is as a companion to salt. Any restaurant will most likely have it on the table waiting for you. Of course, we all know pepper is the spice we use to add some heat to the taste of our food, however, black pepper is useful in many other ways. Of the active ingredients found in black pepper, the most notable is piperine. Piperine has some remarkable capabilities beyond the culinary world. BioPerine is the patented name for piperine, the element extracted from the black pepper’s fruit; peppercorns. In the production of piperine, the peppercorns are harvested before they are fully ripe. As they dry, the color changes and they eventually turn black.

Scientific Studies

The positive medicinal effects of piperine have been known for many years in the healthcare field. In fact, in ancient Chinese and Indian medicine, black pepper was used as a natural medicinal agent for the treatment and alleviation of many conditions, such as; pain, chills, rheumatism, influenza, muscular pains, chills, and fevers. In tea form, black pepper was also credited for relieving migraine headaches, strep throat, and poor digestion. BioPerine improves many aspects of Intestinal Health and Heart Health. It is believed to help with improved digestion, as an antioxidant, an antibacterial, a digestion improvement aid, and a weight loss enhancer. One study in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology points out that BioPerine helps maintain healthy levels of body fat, and improve blood circulation, decreasing the possibility of unsafe heart conditions. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism states that BioPerine might improve resveratrol effects, making it faster and more efficient, increasing metabolism, and ultimately improving human physical performance.

BioPerine Science

When you strip piperine down to its purest form, it’s a light yellow or white, fine powder.  In this form, it tastes very similar to the black pepper you’re already familiar with. In addition to being an alkaloid; a chemical made from a nitrogen-containing plant, piperine is also thought to be a cinnamide, having physically calming properties. When black pepper is commercially produced, it consists of a seed that contains between five and 10 percent piperine. After a careful manufacturing process, a rinse of warm alcohol finishes the operation, resulting in the development of piperine crystals.

BioPerine has been used for over 20 years as a bioavailability enhancer. It is usually co-administered with various nutrients to enhance their absorption into the body. Black pepper extract may aid in improved alertness, energy and focus, according to The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Bioperine has a wide variety of specific health benefits. Here is a list of some of the benefits we know about BioPerine:

Improved Bioavailability

In pharmacology, bioavailability is a measure of absorption that is the fraction of an administered dose of a drug that reaches the blood system. Most medications and dietary supplements, when taken orally are unable to achieve 100% bioavailability, such as with drugs introduced into the body intravenously. Bioavailability is one of the most important aspects of drugs in the pharmacokinetic world, as it is a crucial factor in determining dosages for substances that are introduced orally. Bioavailability is defined slightly differently for drugs, as opposed to dietary supplements, primarily due to the method of administration, and Food and Drug Administration regulations. Bioavailability is important because if the dosage stated on the product label is not fully absorbed, then its effectiveness could be less than accurate.

For decades, BioPerine piperine has been used as a bioavailability booster. When used simultaneously with other supplements and medications, the absorption rate of those substances could possibly be increased by fifty percent. This is one of the most important uses of Bioperine. Many dietary supplements include BioPerine as a key ingredient in their formulas. When you use supplements, your body may not always be able to utilize them effectively, however, many supplements will include BioPerine as part of the compound, as it is the perfect conduit for releasing the main ingredients into the body.

Turmeric, a spice well-known in Indian diets, is believed to reduce inflammation in the body. The compound in turmeric that causes the anti-inflammation effects is called Curcumin. Several studies suggest that Curcumin Turmeric likely eases the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Curcumin Turmeric almost always includes BioPerine as one of its ingredients due to its bioavailability effects. There are additional studies showing that there are additional medicinal uses for Curcumin Turmeric.

Antioxidant Properties

Antioxidants slow or delay, and in some cases restore, certain types of cell damage. You can find antioxidants in many food sources such as vegetables and fruit, as well as in man-made supplements.  BioPerine can provide the same positive antioxidant qualities as many natural sources. It is believed that low doses of piperine in the diet can help remove free radicals from your body, avoiding premature aging and poor cell function. Piperine is effective at combating free radical damage, and managing the balance between antioxidants and free-radicals around the cells in the body.

Possible Anti-Cancer Properties

Hundreds of thousands of cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year. It’s imperative that more studies of BioPerine’s anti-cancer properties are performed. It is important to note that more research is needed in this area to have concrete proof. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), further testing of piperine is warranted based on the following positive findings of previous studies. The following is the Abstract for a 2018 study to investigate the benefits of piperine:

“Recently many studies showed anticancer activities of piperine, a pungent alkaloid found in black pepper and some other Piper species. We attempted to summarize acquired data that support anticancer potential of this natural agent. Piperine has been reported to possess effective chemopreventive activity. It has been studied to affect via several mechanisms of action, in brief enhancing antioxidant system, increasing level and activity of detoxifying enzymes and suppressing stem cell self-renewal. Moreover, piperine has been found to inhibit proliferation and survival of various cancerous cell lines via modulating cell cycle progression and exhibiting anti-apoptotic activity, respectively. This compound has been shown to modify activity of various enzymes and transcription factors to inhibit invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. Interestingly, piperine has exhibited antimutagenic activity and also inhibited activity and expression of multidrug resistance transporters such as P-gp and MRP-1. Besides, about all reviewed studies have reported selective cytotoxic activity of piperine on cancerous cells in compared with normal cells. Altogether, the studies completely underline promising candidacy of piperine for further development. The collected preclinical data we provided in this article can be useful in the design of future researches especially clinical trials with piperine.”

Reduced Inflammation

Your body sends white blood cells to any area of your body that it senses injury. White blood cells  protect the injured area from infection. Piperine has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation. Piperine also works on chronic pain and inflammation, as well as short-term inflammation.

Cognitive Function Enhancement

The natural aging process causes a decline in your cognitive function. This decline can be gradual, or occur quite rapidly. Confusion, memory loss, and the ability to  learn new skills are the symptoms of loss of cognitive function. There are preliminary studies that show piperine may help improve cognitive function.

Reduction of Neurodegenerative Diseases

BioPerine could be used as an aid alongside other medications to combat issues such as; uncontrollable muscle spasms, memory loss, and decreased coordination.

These symptoms are common with conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, and Huntington’s Disease. Not only are these symptoms difficult to live with, it is often impossible, at the time of diagnosis, to predict how quickly the disease will progress. BioPerine is a powerful agent in the blockage of the enzymes that break down dopamine, making it a possible aid against neurodegenerative diseases.

Weight Loss Aid

Poor diet, lack of exercise, and genetics all play a factor in the ability to lose weight. More than half of American adults are considered overweight. BioPerine may reduce the pace at which your body produces fat cells. BioPerine can improve the weight loss process by boosting the number of calories your body burns. One study published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology concluded that small doses of piperine can have fat reducing properties and lipid-lowering effects, without any change in food appetite.

Helps With Depression

More than half of all people experience depression at some point in their life.

BioPerine has impressive capabilities to fight depression. BioPerine combats depression by raising serotonin levels, the chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. One study published in Pharmacology and Biochemistry Behavior, suggested that piperine increases neurotransmission of serotonin and dopamine, two chemicals that are often deficient in depressed individuals.

Gallstone Avoidance

Roughly one tenth of people will develop painful gallstones during their lifetime. Gallstones are small, firm, crystalline masses that form in your gallbladder when too much cholesterol is present. They are eventually expelled through urination. Piperine supplements can lessen the measure of bile that your body carries from the liver to the gallbladder. This bile reducing process leaves fewer cholesterol crystals, and reduces the size of gallstones in the gallbladder.

Antiseptic Properties

It is believed that piperine can boost your immune system with its antiseptic properties. Cuts and open wounds are the perfect breeding ground for infections and bacteria. Normally, your body fights off bacteria effectively, but piperine could improve your body’s ability to perform antiseptic functions.

Digestive Enzyme Production

Digestive enzymes can perform valuable tasks within your body. The function of digestive enzymes is to break down and absorb the food you ingest. These enzymes are produced naturally by certain internal organs. However, the amount of enzymes produced may not be enough for the body to absorb nutrients properly. Some studies have shown that piperine stimulates the body to produce more digestive enzymes. This increase in digestive enzymes helps to break down the food you eat, and improve your nutrient absorption rate. BioPerine also soothes inflammation that causes disturbance in the enzyme production process.

Improvement of Intestinal Health

BioPerine improves many aspects of intestinal health, and provides help with improved digestion. Specifically, BioPerine black pepper extract is believed to have the following effects on the human gastrointestinal system; prevention of diarrhea,  increased saliva production, increased gastric secretions and decreased food transit time in the GI tract.

As you can see, BioPerine has many positive effects on the human body. If you take supplements, you can be certain that BioPerine will help that supplement be more efficiently absorbed into your system, and at the same time, possibly improving a number of other gastrointestinal functions.

Is BioPerine Safe?

Sabinsa Corporation, the owner, and developer of BioPerine, states that the Bioperine compound achieved the “Generally Recognized as Safe” status after being evaluated by an independent panel of scientists from the US Food and Drug Administration. This status was attained due to the number of human and animal studies providing scientific data on black pepper extract. Typically, people of any age can use BioPerine. But, it shouldn’t be used by pregnant women, those with certain medical conditions, anyone taking prescription medications, or people under 18 years old. As always, check with your physician before you start taking any supplements to ensure that it has no negative impact on your medical condition, or if it interferes with any medications you take.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products discussed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.