Black Pepper Extract

Aragón-Vela J et al. • Phytotherapy research : PTR (2024)

“Consequently, longer trials utilizing high doses of curcumin could diminish the positive impact of curcumin in reducing serum levels of aminotransferases in patients with NAFLD.”

Key Findings:

Subgroup analysis revealed that adding piperine to curcumin did not benefit aminotransferase levels in NAFLD patients.
Additionally, we found a negative correlation between the duration of the intervention and the relative (mg/kg/day) curcumin dose with the reduction in liver aminotransferases.
In summary, the sources of heterogeneity identified in our study are likely attributed to the duration of the intervention and the relative dose of curcumin.
Consequently, longer trials utilizing high doses of curcumin could diminish the positive impact of curcumin in reducing serum levels of aminotransferases in patients with NAFLD.

📚meta-analysisn=905

Vajdi M et al. • Nutrition reviews (2025)

“Curcumin supplementation improved AST and ALT levels compared with the control group.”

Key Findings:

Curcumin supplementation significantly reduced ALT (weighted mean difference [WMD], -4.10, 95%CI, -7.16 to -1.04) and AST (WMD, -3.27; 95%CI, -5.16 to -1.39), but not ALP (WMD, -0.49; 95%CI, -1.79 to 0.82).
Curcumin plus piperine supplementation had no significant effect on ALT (WMD, -3.79; 95%CI, -13.30 to 5.72), and AST (WMD, -1.1; 95%CI, -3.32 to 1.09).
Curcumin supplementation improved AST and ALT levels compared with the control group.
However, better-designed randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and of higher quality are needed to assess the effects of curcumin on ALP.

📚meta-analysis

Hosseini H et al. • Phytotherapy research : PTR (2023)

“However, further long-term RCTs are required to ascertain their clinical benefit.”

Key Findings:

The combined results by the random-effects model demonstrated that curcumin plus piperine significantly decreased total cholesterol and LDL-C in patients suffering from metabolic syndrome.
In comparison, the results of the overall effect size did not show any significant change in triglyceride concentrations.
Our results were robust in sensitivity analysis and were not dependent on the dose of curcumin, the dose of piperine, and the duration of treatment.
Our results showed that co-administration of piperine and curcumin supplementation improves the lipid profile in metabolic syndrome.

📚systematic-review

Takooree H et al. • Critical reviews in food science and nutrition (2019)

“As a conclusive remark, P. nigrum should not only be regarded as "King of spices" but can also be considered as part of the kingdom of medicinal agents, comprising a panoply of bioactive compounds with potential nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.”

Key Findings:

The major bioactive compound identified in P. nigrum is piperine although other compounds are also present including piperic acid, piperlonguminine, pellitorine, piperolein B, piperamide, piperettine, and (-)-kusunokinin, which also showed biological potency.
Most pharmacological studies were conducted in vitro (n = 60) while only 21 in vivo and 1 clinical trial were performed.
Hence, more in vivo experiments using a pharmacokinetic and pharmacokinetic approach would be beneficial.
As a conclusive remark, P. nigrum should not only be regarded as "King of spices" but can also be considered as part of the kingdom of medicinal agents, comprising a panoply of bioactive compounds with potential nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.

📚meta-analysisn=626

Compare with Others Find Based on Your Goals

Qin S et al. • Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) (2018)

“The standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to present the results.”

Key Findings:

The standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to present the results.
There was a significant reduction in circulating MDA concentrations (SMD = -0.769, 95% CI: -1.059 to -0.478) and a significant increase in SOD activity (SMD = 1.084, 95% CI: 0.487 to 1.680) following curcumin supplementation.
This effect was greater when combined with piperine than curcuminoids alone (SMD = -1.085, 95% CI: -1.357 to -0.813; SMD = -0.850, 95% CI: -1.158 to -0.542).

View all 39+ studies

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Black Pepper Extract

compound

Black Pepper Extract (Piperine/BioPerine)

Inhibits drug-metabolizing enzymes to boost absorption of curcumin, CoQ10, and other supplements by up to 2,000%.

immunitybioavailabilityabsorptionenhancerpiperine

39+ studies

Evidence

Reviewed 19 days ago

moderate

Safety

5-20mg piperine daily

Dose

1-4 weeks

Time to Effect

BioPerine (95% piperine standardized extract)

Best Form

Mechanisms of Action

🛑

Metabolic Enzyme Inhibition

Blocks enzymes that break down compounds

📈

Enhanced Absorption

Increases intestinal absorption

🔥

Thermogenesis

May slightly increase metabolic rate

Biological PathwayBeta

How Black Pepper Extract works — from molecular targets to health outcomes. Click an edge to see supporting research.This visualization is in beta — pathways are being refined and expanded.

Supplement

Molecular Target

Biological Process

Health Outcome

Strong

Moderate

Emerging

strong

moderate

emerging

Tap node to isolate • Pinch to zoom • Tap edge for research

Recommended Dose

5-20mg piperine daily

5mg20mg

Loading: Not required; take with the supplement you want to enhance

Optimal Timing

With the supplements you want to enhance
With meals containing fat

Take with food

Available Forms

Form	Type
💊BioPerine (95% piperine standardized extract)	Recommended
💊Generic piperine extract	Alternative
🧪Black pepper powder (much less potent)	Alternative

BioPerine is the most researched branded form. 5mg BioPerine = approximately 1 tsp black pepper.

Duration

Minimum: 1 weeks

Optimal: 4 weeks

Cycling: Not required

Note: Take at the same time as the supplement you want to enhance (e.g., curcumin, CoQ10).

📈

Enhanced Supplement Absorption

Dramatically increases absorption of many supplements

⚡ Immediate

90% of users notice thispositive

⚠️

Drug Interactions

Can also increase absorption of medications

⚡ Immediate

85% of users notice thistrade-off

ModerateMax safe dose: 20mg/day commonly used

🟡

Those on medications

Consult pharmacist or doctor before use

Who Should NOT Take This

Taking medications with narrow therapeutic windows

Drug Interactions

Many medicationssevere

Can increase blood levels of many drugs including statins, blood thinners, antidepressants

Chemotherapy drugssevere

May alter drug levels; avoid without oncologist guidance

Possible Side Effects

GI irritation

milduncommon

Tip: Take with food

Warnings

Can significantly increase absorption of medications
Consult healthcare provider if taking any medications

⟡ Curcumin

complementary

Piperine increases curcumin absorption by 2000%

Dramatically enhanced curcumin bioavailability

Top studies from 39+ peer-reviewed papers

📚meta-analysisn=835

Aragón-Vela J et al. • Phytotherapy research : PTR (2024)

“Consequently, longer trials utilizing high doses of curcumin could diminish the positive impact of curcumin in reducing serum levels of aminotransferases in patients with NAFLD.”

Key Findings:

Subgroup analysis revealed that adding piperine to curcumin did not benefit aminotransferase levels in NAFLD patients.
Additionally, we found a negative correlation between the duration of the intervention and the relative (mg/kg/day) curcumin dose with the reduction in liver aminotransferases.
In summary, the sources of heterogeneity identified in our study are likely attributed to the duration of the intervention and the relative dose of curcumin.
Consequently, longer trials utilizing high doses of curcumin could diminish the positive impact of curcumin in reducing serum levels of aminotransferases in patients with NAFLD.

📚meta-analysisn=905

Vajdi M et al. • Nutrition reviews (2025)

“Curcumin supplementation improved AST and ALT levels compared with the control group.”

Key Findings:

Curcumin supplementation significantly reduced ALT (weighted mean difference [WMD], -4.10, 95%CI, -7.16 to -1.04) and AST (WMD, -3.27; 95%CI, -5.16 to -1.39), but not ALP (WMD, -0.49; 95%CI, -1.79 to 0.82).
Curcumin plus piperine supplementation had no significant effect on ALT (WMD, -3.79; 95%CI, -13.30 to 5.72), and AST (WMD, -1.1; 95%CI, -3.32 to 1.09).
Curcumin supplementation improved AST and ALT levels compared with the control group.
However, better-designed randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and of higher quality are needed to assess the effects of curcumin on ALP.

📚meta-analysis

Hosseini H et al. • Phytotherapy research : PTR (2023)

“However, further long-term RCTs are required to ascertain their clinical benefit.”

Key Findings:

The combined results by the random-effects model demonstrated that curcumin plus piperine significantly decreased total cholesterol and LDL-C in patients suffering from metabolic syndrome.
In comparison, the results of the overall effect size did not show any significant change in triglyceride concentrations.
Our results were robust in sensitivity analysis and were not dependent on the dose of curcumin, the dose of piperine, and the duration of treatment.
Our results showed that co-administration of piperine and curcumin supplementation improves the lipid profile in metabolic syndrome.

📚systematic-review

Takooree H et al. • Critical reviews in food science and nutrition (2019)

“As a conclusive remark, P. nigrum should not only be regarded as "King of spices" but can also be considered as part of the kingdom of medicinal agents, comprising a panoply of bioactive compounds with potential nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.”

Key Findings:

The major bioactive compound identified in P. nigrum is piperine although other compounds are also present including piperic acid, piperlonguminine, pellitorine, piperolein B, piperamide, piperettine, and (-)-kusunokinin, which also showed biological potency.
Most pharmacological studies were conducted in vitro (n = 60) while only 21 in vivo and 1 clinical trial were performed.
Hence, more in vivo experiments using a pharmacokinetic and pharmacokinetic approach would be beneficial.
As a conclusive remark, P. nigrum should not only be regarded as "King of spices" but can also be considered as part of the kingdom of medicinal agents, comprising a panoply of bioactive compounds with potential nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.

📚meta-analysisn=626

Compare with Others Find Based on Your Goals

Qin S et al. • Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) (2018)

“The standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to present the results.”

Key Findings:

The standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to present the results.
There was a significant reduction in circulating MDA concentrations (SMD = -0.769, 95% CI: -1.059 to -0.478) and a significant increase in SOD activity (SMD = 1.084, 95% CI: 0.487 to 1.680) following curcumin supplementation.
This effect was greater when combined with piperine than curcuminoids alone (SMD = -1.085, 95% CI: -1.357 to -0.813; SMD = -0.850, 95% CI: -1.158 to -0.542).

View all 39+ studies

What would you like to do next?

Related Supplements

Tud8.5

TUDCA

Water-soluble bile acid that protects the liver, supports bile flow, reduces ER stress, and aids digestion of fats.

Zc8.5

Zinc Carnosine

Chelated zinc that adheres to damaged stomach tissue, accelerating ulcer healing and protecting gut lining from NSAID damage.

Clm7.5

Colostrum

First milk rich in immunoglobulins, growth factors, and antimicrobial compounds that supports gut health, immunity, and recovery.

LF7.5

Lactoferrin