Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
Vitamin B12 wins 1 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
50-100mg daily; 150-600mg benfotiamine for neuropathy
With food, Morning with other B vitamins
Benfotiamine (fat-soluble, higher bioavailability)
500-1000mcg daily for maintenance; higher for deficiency
Morning (may be energizing), With or without food
Methylcobalamin (sublingual)
2-4 weeks
4-8 weeks
4-12 weeks
2-4 weeks
4-8 weeks
Weeks to months
Dietary supplements for dysmenorrhoea
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2016) · Meta analysis · n=3101
Supplements versus other supplementsThere was no evidence of a difference in effectiveness between ginger and zinc sulphate (MD 0.02 points, 95% CI -0.58 to 0.62; one RCT, 101 women).
Efficacy and safety of fedratinib in patients with myelofibrosis previously treated with ruxolitinib (FREEDOM2): results from a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial
The Lancet. Haematology (2024) · Rct · n=316
Clinical trial examining Thiamine efficacy
Effect of intravenous thiamine administration on critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) (2024) · Meta analysis · n=3494
Conversely, thiamine administration resulted in a slight increase in the length of ICU stay (MD, 0.40 days; 95% CI, 0.01-0.79 days; High CoE).
Efficacy of different routes of vitamin B12 supplementation for the treatment of patients with vitamin B12 deficiency: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
Irish journal of medical science (2024) · Meta analysis · n=4275
Regarding the hemoglobin level, the pooled effect sizes showed no difference between all routes of administration that could reach statistical significance.
Dosage exploration of combined B-vitamin supplementation in stroke prevention: a meta-analysis and systematic review
The American journal of clinical nutrition (2024) · Meta analysis · n=76664
In areas without and with partial folic acid fortification, combined B-vitamin supplementation significantly reduced the risk of stroke by 34% [RR: 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50, 0.86] and 11% (RR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.00), respectively.
Vitamin Status in Patients with Phenylketonuria: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
International journal of molecular sciences (2024) · Meta analysis · n=770
The effect sizes were expressed as standardised mean differences.
Vitamin B12 has a higher evidence score (9/10 vs 9/10) and wins in 1 of 3 categories.
For boost daily energy, Vitamin B12 has a higher relevance score (85 vs 65).
No known interactions between Thiamine and Vitamin B12 have been documented in our database. However, always consult a healthcare provider before combining supplements.