BioPerine Benefits | It’s More Than Just Black Pepper Extract

You’ve probably added pepper to your food. However, did you know that there are benefits to BioPerine (black pepper extract) beyond its use as a spice? What do we know about black pepper extract and the benefits of BioPerine?

It is considered safe to use when consumed in reasonable amounts. However, large amounts of the extract might lead to some health issues. The extract is derived from the Piper nigrum plant, which grows black, green, and white peppers, The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture reports. Excited to learn more? Let’s follow the research supporting the benefits of Bioperine and black pepper extract.

What is BioPerine?

BioPerine is a patented extract obtained from black pepper fruits (Piper nigrum) standardized minimum to 95% piperine. BioPerine works within the body primarily because of its high concentration of piperine, says Examine.com.

However, the black pepper fruit also contains a small number of alkaloids as well, including piperidine, piperttine, and piperanine (see Exp’t 874, Penn State Department of Chemistry).

This dietary supplement is usually consumed in combination with other herbs or weight-loss products, like Isagenix Natural Accelerator.

According to Nutrient Journal, its primary function is enhancing the effectiveness and absorption of nutrients consumed from other dietary supplements, prescription medication, and basic meals.

Bottom Line: Bioperine is a patented and trademarked version of black pepper extract.

History of BioPerine

BioPerine black pepper extract was discovered in 1819 from the Piper Nigrum plant. The extract also comes with other additional alkaloids including piperanine, piperidine, and piperettine. It is taken out from black pepper using ethanol and KOH.

BioPerine complex, however, was first patented and produced in the late 1990s by Sabinsa, a company which was founded in 1988 as a manufacturer of herbal extracts, minerals, and cosmeceuticals.

This company has also patented other products, including Boswellin, Citrin, DigeZyme, ForsLean, LactoSpore, SelenoForce, Curcumin C3 Complex and Selenium SeLECT.

All of these products, including BioPerine piperine, have been accepted and approved by the FDA and other institutions, as well as being affirmed as a GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) product.

How Does BioPerine Work?

There are various ways to make the product work, the BioPerine uses are many, including fighting fat, according to a BioPerine WebMD article, or help with digestion, as Livestrong confirms.

But it all comes to how the product is ingested, and what the user intends to do with it.

However, there are three main ways BioPerine powder works, and these are:

• Modulating Efflux Mechanisms
• Regulating Metabolism Enzymes
• Thermogenesis

This way, the BioPerine benefits are all about how they help to produce better and more effective absorbing systems on the human body, especially when it comes to nutrients, while also giving the ability to maintain glucose at a stable level with hormones, and even helping to create more energy.

According to BioPerine wiki, the product helps to increase bioavailability of nutrients like curcumin. It helps to maintain a proper absorbing efficiency of many other foods as well, working as a dietary supplement.

The way to take it is really easy. It can be ingested alongside other foods, supplements or even just with water. The right dose, however, is not known.

Most people take BioPerine in 5 mg doses. Others may take up to 10 mg or even more.

But there is no safe measure according to this, and most options out there do not affirm it either. There aren’t many studies about it yet, says Dr. Sahelian, so it becomes a little problematic in that sense.

BioPerine Ingredients

The main ingredient is piperine. BioPerine piperine comes in a 95% or even more, creating a potentially beneficial extract which can be used for many purposes. BioPerine black pepper is known for offering many digestive advantages, according to one study.

Mostly, however, the BioPerine piperine is only used to increase bioavailability in the human body. A good BioPerine dosage can help to improve the effect of curcumin in rats, as one study in Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine affirms.

Another research group found that thanks to its Bioperine absorbing effects, piperine helps to increase serum concentration and makes its bioavailability a lot more efficient, delivering no side effects.

Black pepper piperine is also known for helping to increase bioavailability in an additional product, called resveratrol, which helps to improve health benefits in many ways, including its metabolism boost, according to another study.

Other ingredients we can find in the product are dibasic calcium phosphate, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, and microcrystalline cellulose.

All of them together composed only 5% of the blend, so there’s no way to prove the benefits or work of these ingredients, as they may only work to maintain and ensure the product works more effectively.

Is BioPerine Safe?

Sabinsa Corporation, the owner, and developer of BioPerine, states the 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 because of the amount of human and animal studies providing scientific data on black pepper extract.

WebMD noted the black pepper fruit was safe when consumed as an ingredient in food and possibly as an herbal remedy.

However, it is important to note that consuming turmeric and black pepper in large amounts may lead it to become lodged in the lungs, which may cause some severe health issues. This is seen primarily in children.

Role of Black Pepper Extract

According to one study published in The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Journal, BioPerine is safe when consumed with curcumin, a component in the golden spice turmeric.

Pair black pepper extract with papaya extract, pineapple extract, mint, ephedra, dong quai or coffee extract.

Turmeric extracts that help with digestion and weight loss work best with this supplement.

Some issues were also brought up concerning Bioperine’s GRAS status by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Black pepper extract is mostly known for its ability to increase the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and other health remedies, but it can also work for obesity (see research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry).

A multitude of different drug interactions can occur if this extract is mixed with prescription medications, so it is crucial that anyone who wants to take it talk to their doctor about it first, advises the RxList.

Bottom Line: Some studies suggest that BioPerine or black pepper extract.

Natural Sources of Black Pepper Extract

BioPerine or black pepper extract comes from natural sources. However, the names are different.

Additional names for black pepper extract include:

• Madagascar pepper
• Kali Mirch
• Milagu
• White pepper

Black pepper extract is a readily available crop found worldwide.

Black pepper extract contains a concentrated level of piperine extract. The powdered spice meant for tabletops at dinnertime doesn’t have nearly the same amount, according to ConsumerLab.com.

The extract comes from the berries of the plant, also known as peppercorns. The peppercorns are picked while they are half ripe and then dried, which causes the black appearance.

Bottom Line: BioPerine is patented form of black pepper extract and found through natural sources throughout the world.

BioPerine Benefits

The BioPerine 5 mg dose can help the body in different ways, including absorption of nutrients as the main benefit.

According to one study in Current Cardiology Reviews, the BioPerine black pepper is said to be effective in improving many different systems and functions of our bodies. As an antioxidant and antibacterial, it helps with digestion, and even works as a weight loss influencer.

When it comes to its anti-fat effects, the BioPerine health benefits are approved and confirmed. As one study in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology says, the BioPerine can help to maintain healthy levels of fat in the body, avoid circulatory problems and even decrease the possibilities of heart conditions.

Another study in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that the product may also enhance physical performance, as it can help to improve how resveratrol can work in the body, making it faster and more efficient, creating a better metabolism.

However, a study from 2009 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition affirms that the physical effects of the BioPerine complex are little, or inexistent.

Lastly, it is known that another of the BioPerine benefits we can find is its help against chronic health risks thanks to how it reduces insulin resistance, and has anti-inflammatory effects. This study in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology confirmed that piperine works this way alone or with other drugs or chemicals, whether it is taken with BioPerine 5 mg or in any other quantity.

BioPerine Benefits to Heart Health and Intestinal Health

Research connects BioPerine or black pepper extract to heart health and gut health.

Studies reported by Examine.com and the Indian Journal of Medical Research show black pepper extract helps:

• Prevent diarrhea
• Decrease the food transit time within the gastrointestinal tract
• Increase gastric secretions
• Increase saliva production
• Aid in the secretion of bile acids from the liver

Prevention of gut issues could be why some cleanses, like Flat Tummy Tea, use a version of piperine.

According to Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, “…the results from the present study demonstrate that co-administration of curcumin plus piperine is better than administration of curcumin alone against HLP, providing a promising combination for the treatment of HLP.”

Bottom Line: BioPerine is thought to have beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular system. These claims are based on research that has been performed on black pepper extract and piperine.

BioPerine and Weight-Loss

Studies discuss the benefits of black pepper extract and weight loss.

According to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, when BioPerine is included as an ingredient in a thermogenic nutritional supplement, it does not have a significant effect on the performance and intensity of exercise performed by college-aged men.

Black pepper extract is thought to help decrease weight by stimulating the breakdown of fat cells within the liver, says research from Current Cardiology Reviews.

A study published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology concluded, “…piperine possesses potential fat reducing and lipid-lowering effects, without any change in food appetite, at a small dose of 40 mg/kg.”

Some research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry also suggests that piperine can inhibit adipogenesis and act as a potential treatment for obesity.

Data was collected on the effects of consuming the thermogenic dietary supplement Dyma-Burn Xtreme, which contains BioPerine, specifically its impact on energy expenditure, mood state, and cardiovascular levels (see Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition).

The product was found to have a positive influence on resting energy expenditure, which might aid in weight-loss. However, it is unclear whether BioPerine influenced this.

Bottom Line: Significant research has not been published supporting the claim that BioPerine causes weight-loss.

Additional Benefits of BioPerine

According to Organic Facts, people who suffer from obesity or gastrointestinal problems may have difficulty breaking down food. This is where black pepper extract comes into play.

Typically, people of any age can use this product. But, it isn’t recommended for pregnant women, those with health conditions, anyone taking prescription medications or people under 18 years old.

According to Critical Reviews in Foods Science Nutrition, black pepper extract acts as an antioxidant.

According to Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, “Piperine has many pharmacological effects and several health benefits, especially against chronic issues, such as reduction of insulin resistance, and anti-inflammatory effects.”

Some research in Current Cardiology Reviews suggested that black pepper has been shown to have various physiological effects, including influences on lipid metabolism, lipid peroxidation, cellular thiol status, high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, cardiac function, and cardiac functional recovery.

Piperine apparently influences cholesterol uptake, membrane/cytosol distribution, and physicochemical properties of cholesterol of micelles by internalizing the cholesterol transporter proteins (see Journal of Natural Medicines).

Research in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition also shows that black pepper extract may help improve alertness, focus, and energy.

Bottom Line: BioPerine is claimed to have several health benefits, many of which are not backed by substantial scientific research using human test subjects.

Black Pepper Extract Side Effects

As with many ingredients, there’s a chance they cause side effects. Weight loss is the most common side effects of black pepper extract. But, it also improves blood circulation and stimulates the brain.

Dr. Ray Sahelian suggests that black pepper extract may cause minor gastrointestinal discomfort. However, there is not a significant amount of studies showing black pepper extract causes side effects.

Overuse of black pepper extract could lead to increased production of stomach acid and bile. Moreover, this could irritate the gastrointestinal tract.

Also, if a person who has trouble swallowing inhales the extract into their lungs through aspiration, there could be severe consequences, warns WebMD.

It’s best to contact a physician before using herbal supplements, including black pepper extract or BioPerine.

Bottom Line: Although rare, there’s a chance black pepper extract may cause side effects.

Where To Buy BioPerine

There are several companies, including Bio Schwartz, Source Naturals, Smoky Mountain Naturals, Swanson Ultra, Piping Rock, Nature Wise, Amazing Nutrition and more selling Bioperine supplements.

What Users Are Saying

“Really like this product. If I get a warming effect, it never is uncomfortable.”

“Even with blood tests before and after taking 2 bottles, I could find no significant differences.”

“While this might very well do what it is advertised to do, improve nutrient uptake, the negatives far outweigh the positives. It was really hard on my digestive system, even when I cut them in half to 5mg. Made my bowel movements way more aromatic, which is just gross. Made me kind of constipated followed by diarrhea bouts. So don’t buy in bulk with testing it first. BTW, my turmeric curcumim 95% seems to still work fine without bioperine, so it isn’t necessary for me. I am worried that people buying turmeric with the bioperine built in might blame the turmeric for their digestive problems, when, from my experience, turmeric doesn’t have any negatives like that.”

Research Supporting Bioperine Benefits

A study in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition of the BioPerine black pepper extract benefits, affirms how the product may help in improving the antioxidant effects on some nutrients, enhance the anti-microbial protection system, work as an anti-inflammatory product, help to release stress, and even works as a gastro-protective extract.