BENFOTIAMINE Overview Information
Benfotiamine is a chemical similar to thiamine, also known as vitamin B1. When taken by mouth, the body changes benfotiamine to thiamine. The body can absorb benfotiamine better than thiamine. Benfotiamine can be made by certain plants, such as garlic and onion. It can also be made in a lab.
People most commonly take benfotiamine by mouth for nerve damage caused by diabetes (diabetic neuropathy) and alcoholism. It is also used for Alzheimer disease, arthritis, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these other uses.
How does it work?
The body turns benfotiamine into thiamine. Thiamine is also known as vitamin B1. Some people don't have enough thiamine in the body. Since the body absorbs benfotiamine better than thiamine, benfotiamine can increase how much thiamine is in the body. This may help prevent or treat certain symptoms or diseases caused by low thiamine levels.
Possibly Effective for:
- Alcohol use disorder. Taking benfotiamine by mouth seems to decrease alcohol use and improve symptoms of mental health in some people with alcoholism. But it doesn't seem to work as well as the drug baclofen for preventing relapse in alcoholics.
- Nerve pain in people with diabetes (diabetic neuropathy). Taking benfotiamine by mouth, with or without vitamin B6 and B12, can improve pain and other symptoms of nerve damage caused by diabetes.
Possibly Ineffective for:
- Kidney damage in people with diabetes (diabetic nephropathy). Taking benfotiamine by mouth does not seem to improve markers of kidney damage in people with diabetes who have kidney disease.
- Nerve damage in the hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy). Early research shows that taking benfotiamine might improve symptoms in people who have neuropathy from drinking too much alcohol. But not all research agrees.
- Alzheimer disease.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Other conditions.
BENFOTIAMINE Side Effects & Safety
When taken by mouth: Benfotiamine is LIKELY SAFE at doses of up to 600 mg daily for up to 24 weeks. Side effects are rare. Some people have experienced stomach problems and skin rashes.
Special Precautions & Warnings:Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if benfotiamine is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
- For alcoholism: 600 mg of benfotiamine has been taken daily for up to 6 months.
- For nerve pain in people with diabetes (diabetic neuropathy): 150-600 mg of benfotiamine has been taken in 3-4 divided doses daily for 3-6 weeks. A specific combination product providing 50 mg of benfotiamine and 250 mcg of vitamin B12 has been taken 3 times daily for 3 weeks. A similar combination product providing 40 mg of benfotiamine, 90 mg of vitamin B6, and 250 mcg of vitamin B12 has been taken as one capsule three times daily or two capsules four times daily for 6 weeks.