Benfotiamine
Scientific names: S-benzoylthiamine O-monophosphate
Alternate names: Benfothiamine, Benfotiamin
Actions: General, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antitumor, Cognitive, Glycemic, Thiamine-replacement
Background
Benfotiamine is similar to thiamine (vitamin B1), but is absorbed by the body better than thiamine. The body changes benfotiamine to thiamine.
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. Benfotiamine can be made by certain plants, such as garlic and onion. It can also be made in a lab.
People use benfotiamine for nerve damage caused by diabetes (diabetic neuropathy). It is also used for alcohol use disorder, Alzheimer disease, arthritis, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
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. Benfotiamine can be made by certain plants, such as garlic and onion. It can also be made in a lab.
People use benfotiamine for nerve damage caused by diabetes (diabetic neuropathy). It is also used for alcohol use disorder, Alzheimer disease, arthritis, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
Safety Safety definitions
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, but some people have reported 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.Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Possibly effective Effectiveness definitions
- 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 Effectiveness definitions
- 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.
Dosing & administration
Benfotiamine is most often used by adults in doses of 150-600 mg by mouth daily for up to 6 months. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
It is not known if Benfotiamine interacts with any medicines. Before taking Benfotiamine, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
Products
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Per capsule:
- Levomefolate glucosamine (Activated folate) 842 µg equiv. levomefolic acid 400 µg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 400 µg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 25 mg equiv. thiamine 22.3 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 25 mg equiv. riboflavin 18.3 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 25 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 25 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 22.9 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 25 mg equiv. pyridoxine 15.95 mg
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Per capsule:
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 50 mg equiv. thiamine 44.6 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 20 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P5P) 10 mg equiv. pyridoxine 6.38 mg
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 500 μg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 80 mg
- Nicotinic acid (Vitamin B3) 20 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 164 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 150 mg
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 20 mg equiv. pyridoxine 16.5 mg
- Choline bitartrate 100 mg
- Inositol 100 mg
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 521 μg equiv. folinic acid 400 μg
- Biotin 500 μg
Practitioner product
Per tablet:
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 20 mg equiv. pyridoxine 12.76 mg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 300 µg
- Ocimum tenuiflorum ext. 250 mg
- Levomefolate glucosamine (Activated folate) 632 µg equiv. levomefolic acid 300 µg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 20 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 20 mg equiv. riboflavin 14.64 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 50 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 45.88 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 25.42 mg equiv. thiamine 20 mg
- Biotin 300 µg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 250 mg
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Practitioner product
Per capsule:
- Levomefolate calcium (Activated folate) 495.4 μg equiv. levomefolic acid 400 μg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 400 μg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 50 mg equiv. thiamine 44.6 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 46.5 mg equiv. riboflavin 36.6 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 50 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 50 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 45.8 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 31.35 mg equiv. pyridoxine 20 mg
- Biotin 300 μg
- Choline bitartrate 208.99 mg
- Myo-inositol 50 mg
- Ubiquinol-10 (Coenzyme Q10) 25 mg
Practitioner product
Per tablet:
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 1.25 mg equiv. pyridoxine 1.03 mg
- Glycyrrhiza glabra ext. 36.36 mg
- Panax ginseng ext. 15 mg
- Zingiber officinale ext. 20 mg
- Lutein 1.5 mg
- Asparagus racemosus ext. 300 mg
- Thiamine nitrate (Vitamin B1) 1.23 mg equiv. thiamine 1 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 10.87 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 10 mg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 60 mg
- Sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous 100 mg equiv. sodium 32.4 mg
- Potassium phosphate monobasic 139.23 mg equiv. potassium 40 mg
- Zinc glycinate 10.64 mg equiv. zinc 3 mg
Practitioner product
Per capsule:
- Withania somnifera ext. 8 mg
- Rehmannia glutinosa ext. 200 mg
- Glycyrrhiza glabra ext. 125 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 5 mg equiv. pyridoxine 3.19 mg
- Schisandra chinensis ext. 100 mg
- Panax ginseng ext. 150 mg
- Zinc glycinate 35.46 mg equiv. zinc 10 mg
- Chromium picolinate 140.8 μg equiv. chromium 17.5 μg
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 54.3 μg equiv. folinic acid 50 μg
- Biotin 35 μg
- Hydroxocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 10 μg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 10.92 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 10 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 15 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 3.29 mg equiv. riboflavin 2.5 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 1.91 mg equiv. thiamine 1.5 mg
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Per capsule:
- Crocus sativus ext. 14 mg
- Withania somnifera ext. 150 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 7.94 mg equiv. pyridoxine 5 mg
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 220 µg equiv. folinic acid 200 µg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 100 µg
- Schisandra chinensis ext. 80 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 25.42 mg equiv. thiamine 20 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 13.16 mg equiv. riboflavin 10 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 50 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 54.59 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 50 mg
- Rhodiola rosea ext. 75 mg
- Ganoderma lucidum ext. 75 mg
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Per capsule:
- Rehmannia glutinosa ext. 166.7 mg
- Withania somnifera ext. 106.7 mg
- Panax quinquefolius ext. 100 mg
- Schisandra chinensis ext. 66.7 mg
- Glycyrrhiza glabra ext. 83.3 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 910 μg equiv. thiamine 716 μg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 1.11 mg equiv. riboflavin 812 μg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 10.7 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 3.98 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 3.66 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P5P) 1.13 mg equiv. pyridoxine 774 μg
- Biotin 20 μg
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 36 μg equiv. folinic acid 33 μg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 1.6 μg
Practitioner product
Per 6 g (Tropical):
- Co-methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12) 500 µg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 31.38 mg equiv. pyridoxine 19.98 mg
- Magnesium citrate nonahydrate 981.30 mg equiv. magnesium 116.64 mg
- Magnesium glycinate dihydrate 2 g equiv. magnesium 233.34 mg
- Biotin 150 µg
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 456.84 µg equiv. folinic acid 400 µg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 27.30 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 25.02 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 49.98 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 27.36 mg equiv. riboflavin 19.98 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 19.08 mg equiv. thiamine 15 mg
Practitioner product
Per 13 g (Orange):
- Magnesium citrate 1.94 g equiv. magnesium 300 mg
- Potassium citrate 553 mg equiv. potassium 200 mg
- Calcium citrate 1.82 g equiv. calcium 400 mg
- Zinc citrate dihydrate 77.9 mg equiv. zinc 25 mg
- Selenomethionine 78 µg equiv. selenium 31.5 µg
- Taurine 3 g
- Glycine 2 g
- Calcium ascorbate dihydrate (Vitamin C) 1.22 g equiv. ascorbic acid 1 g equiv. calcium 114 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 25.4 mg equiv. thiamine 20 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 13.2 mg equiv. riboflavin 10 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 25 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 32.8 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 30 mg equiv. calcium 2.73 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 78.4 mg equiv. pyridoxine 50 mg
- Biotin 500 µg
- Molybdenum trioxide 90 µg equiv. molybdenum 60 µg
- Chromium chloride hexahydrate 507 µg equiv. chromium 100 µg
- Menaquinone 7 (Vitamin K2) 45 µg
Practitioner product
Per tablet:
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 5 mg equiv. pyridoxine 4.1 mg
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 5 μg
- Folic acid 90 μg
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 5 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 25 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 7.5 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 6.9 mg
- Biotin 20 μg
- Choline bitartrate 25 mg
- Inositol 25 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 5 mg
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Per capsule:
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 78.37 mg equiv. pyridoxine 50 mg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 250 µg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 109.17 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 100 mg equiv. calcium 9.16 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 112.15 mg equiv. thiamine 100 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 68.49 mg equiv. riboflavin 50 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 50 mg
- Ubidecarenone (Coenzyme Q10) 50 mg
- Levomefolate glucosamine (Activated folate) 901.7 µg equiv. levomefolic acid 500 µg
- Biotin 2 mg
- Choline bitartrate 200 mg equiv. choline 82.26 mg
Practitioner product
Per tablet:
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 100 mg
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 80 mg
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 75 mg equiv. pyridoxine 61.7 mg
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 100 µg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 100 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 120 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 109.9 mg
- Folic acid 400 µg
- Choline bitartrate 50 mg
- Inositol 50 mg
- Biotin 50 µg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 200 mg
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Per capsule:
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 540 μg equiv. folinic acid 500 μg
- Hydroxocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 100 μg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 400 μg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 113 mg equiv. thiamine 89 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 30 mg equiv. riboflavin 22.8 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 100 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P5P) 27 mg equiv. pyridoxine 17.11 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 50 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 45.8 mg
- Choline bitartrate 75 mg
- Inositol 75 mg
- Biotin 500 μg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 100 mg
Practitioner product
Per tablet:
- Zinc amino acid chelate 25 mg equiv. zinc 5 mg
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 25 mg equiv. pyridoxine 20.57 mg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 25 mg
- Total Magnesium 91.6 mg
- Magnesium amino acid chelate 500 mg equiv. magnesium 80 mg
- Magnesium orotate dihydrate 80 mg equiv. magnesium 5.2 mg
- Magnesium aspartate dihydrate 94.9 mg equiv. magnesium 6.4 mg
- Potassium aspartate 120 mg equiv. potassium 26 mg
- Calcium amino acid chelate 25 mg equiv. calcium 5 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 20 mg equiv. thiamine 17.84 mg
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 10 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 40 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 43.67 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 40 mg
- Folic acid 200 μg
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 200 μg
- d-alpha-Tocopheryl acid succinate 21 mg equiv. vitamin E 25 IU
- Taurine 50 mg
Practitioner product
Per capsule:
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 542 μg equiv. folinic acid 500 μg
- Hydroxocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 500 μg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 63.5 mg equiv. thiamine 50 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 26.3 mg equiv. riboflavin 20 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 150 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 218.3 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 200 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P5P) 31.3 mg equiv. pyridoxine 20 mg
- Inositol 100 mg
- Biotin 500 μg
Practitioner product
Per capsule:
- Hydroxocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 100 μg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 400 μg
- Ubidecarenone (Coenzyme Q10) 30 mg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 300 mg
- Levomefolate calcium (Activated folate) 430 μg equiv. levomefolic acid 400 μg
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 110 μg equiv. folinic acid 100 μg
- Biotin 500 μg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 26.8 mg equiv. pyridoxine 17.11 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 50 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 45.80 mg equiv. calcium 4.2 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 50 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 30 mg equiv. riboflavin 21.9 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 100 mg equiv. thiamine 89.19 mg
- Nicotinamide riboside chloride (Vitamin B3) 50 mg equiv. ribose 25.8 mg
Practitioner product
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Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
