Benfotiamineis a dietary supplement that is converted in the body to thiamine (vitamin B1).
That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says.
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Benfotiamine and Thiamine: What’s the Link?
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Benfotiamine is a dietary supplement that converts to thiamine in the body.
Initial symptoms include weight loss, memory loss, confusion, and muscle weakness.
Benfotiamine can boost thiamine levels and help prevent these effects.
Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak
Here’s the latest evidence supporting these claims.
Alzheimer’s Disease
AD is a degenerative brain disease.
Symptoms include:
AD symptoms are believed to involve abnormal clumps of proteins in the brain called amyloid plaques.
Those features may be linked to processes in the body that rely on thiamine.
They all had some cognitive improvement.A small sample size limited this trial.
Also, there was no placebo (sugar pill) control to compare to the benfotiamine treatment.
However, clinical data is minimal.
Some research suggests it helps with diabetes-related nerve damage and the cognitive declines of Alzheimer’s.
What Are the Side Effects of Benfotiamine?
Your provider may recommend you take benfotiamine for nerve pain or Alzheimer’s disease, or another reason.
However, consuming a supplement like benfotiamine may have potential side effects.
These side effects may be common or severe.
Common Side Effects
While few side effects have been reported, extremely high doses aren’t advised.
Little is known about the long-term safety of benfotiamine.
However, most studies have been short-term, and safety data are limited.
Precautions
The safety of supplements hasn’t been established for:
Benfotiamine contains sulfur.
Don’t take it if you have a sulfur sensitivity.
Verywell / Anastasia Tretiak
Dosage: How Much Benfotiamine Should I Take?
No safe or effective dosage recommendations have been established for benfotiamine as a treatment for any condition.
Most studies in people with diabetes have used dosages of 300 mg twice a day.
Other trials have used doses as high as 900 mg per day without significant problems.
Benfotiamine does not appear to cause toxicity.
If you want to try benfotiamine supplements, talk to your healthcare provider.
They can advise whether it’s safe for you and help determine an appropriate dosage.
Supplement Facts
Interactions
Little is known about benfotiamine’s potential drug or food interactions.
Benfotiamine Supplements
Benfotiamine supplements are widely available online and in stores specializing in supplements.
They may be purchased in capsule or powder form.
When choosing one, review the Supplement Facts label.
It may help with diabetic neuropathy and Alzheimer’s disease.
More research is needed, though.
Side effects are possible, but they’ve been rare in studies.
Official dosages aren’t yet established.
Check with your healthcare provider before taking benfotiamine.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Thiamin.
2021;46(5):1199-1212. doi:10.1111/jcpt.13375
Ziegler D.Pathogenetic treatments for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.
2022;107(1):e1-e24.
2021;15:1101-1110. doi:10.2147/DDDT.S296197
National Center for Biotechnology Information.PubChem Compound Summary for CID 3032771, Benfotiamine.
18(1):37-46. doi:10.1089/scd.2007.0255
