5 Health Benefits of Benfotiamine

Do you suffer from nerve pain, diabetes-related complications, or other chronic health conditions? If so, you may want to consider benfotiamine supplementation.

What is benfotiamine and what benefits does it have for your health?

Benfotiamine is a fat-soluble form of thiamine (vitamin B1) with far greater bioavailability than regular thiamine. It helps convert carbohydrates into energy, supports cellular health, and plays an important role in glucose metabolism.

It’s been studied extensively in clinical trials since the 1950s and continues to be researched due to its potential therapeutic applications.

Benfotiamine has many diverse benefits and is backed by ample scientific evidence that suggests its use as a dietary supplement for issues like peripheral neuropathy, hemodialysis complications, and type 2 diabetes.

Keep reading to learn more about the health benefits of benfotiamine.

Benfotiamine Benefits

1. Benfotiamine Can Improve Low Thiamine Levels

Benfotiamine is known for its better absorption and may help reduce signs associated with vitamin B1 insufficiency.

Thiamin deficiency is more common among those with alcoholism, eating disorders, poor nutrition, little access to healthy food, kidney problems, and diarrhea.

Vitamin B1 deficiency may be present in those who have lost weight or undergone gastric bypass, as well as pregnant or lactating women, people with hyperthyroidism or HIV/AIDS, and those taking medications that cause fluid loss.

Consuming betel/areca nuts and uncooked seafood frequently can also lead to a lack of thiamine.

Benfotiamine may help relieve symptoms associated with thiamine deficiency, including:

Ataxia/poor motor control

Mood swings

Edema/swelling

Irritability

Confusion

Nystagmus/uncontrolled eye movements

Seizure

Short-term memory loss

Tachycardia/rapid heart rate

Without proper treatment, thiamine deficiency can cause life-threatening issues such as a coma, heart failure, long-term nerve damage, or mental illness.

2. Benfotiamine May Reduce Damage Caused By Diabetes

Diabetics are often deficient in thiamine, which is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates.

A lack of thiamine can lead to oxidative stress, inflammation, and collapse of the inner wall of the blood vessels, narrowing them.

Oxidative stress, a condition resulting from the lack of balance between free radicals and antioxidants, can damage cells. Antioxidants help protect against or repair this damage.

Benfotiamine supplements may stop the negative consequences of sugar metabolism by lowering oxidative stress and enhancing blood vessel performance.

When someone is deficient in thiamine, glucose metabolism is affected. Excess carbohydrate metabolism can result in harm to the blood vessels.

Taking Benfotiamine may reduce vascular damage in diabetics by decreasing the need for a different metabolic process.

3. Benfotiamine May Be Beneficial for Those With Kidney Disease

Benfotiamine, or vitamin B1, might help with kidney disease.

A study focused on diabetic patients with kidney dysfunction found that urinary albumin excretion (UAE) was decreased in patients receiving thiamin therapy compared to no significant decrease in patients receiving a placebo.

This suggests that benfotiamine may be beneficial for those with kidney disease.

Another study looked at the effects of benfotiamine supplementation in rats on peritoneal dialysis.

The results showed that benfotiamine decreased glucose-induced tissue damage and decreased peritoneal fibrosis, inflammation markers, neovascularization, or the development of new blood vessels.

These findings suggest that benfotiamine may have protective effects against the deterioration of the remnant kidney due to glucose and its metabolites.

Further research is needed to determine if these findings can be replicated in humans.

4. Benfotiamine Might Improve Alzheimer's

Benfotiamine has been studied as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease due to its ability to improve cognitive function and its higher absorption rate compared to water-soluble thiamine.

Thiamine plays an important role in glucose metabolism, and studies have shown that patients with Alzheimer's may have reduced glucose utilization up to 30 years before dementia symptoms begin.

This could be why benfotiamine supplementation has been found to be beneficial in improving cognitive function in those with Alzheimer's disease.

The brain uses around 20 percent of the body's total glucose. Therefore, it's important that those with Alzheimer’s can absorb enough thiamine from their diet or through supplementation.

Benfotiamine may be a better option than traditional water-soluble thiamine because it is more easily absorbed by the elderly population who often have difficulty absorbing nutrients due to age-related changes in digestion and absorption.

5. Benfotiamine Could Be Beneficial for Eye Disease

Benfotiamine may reduce the risk of chronic eye diseases such as cataracts and optic neuropathy.

Cataracts are caused by a buildup of proteins in the lens of the eye, which can lead to vision loss.

Optic neuropathy is associated with thiamine deficiency and can cause severe vision loss. Supplementing with benfotiamine may help improve symptoms more quickly than thiamine supplements due to its increased absorption rate.

Blindness caused by uveitis is prevalent globally and it is due to the swelling of the tissue beneath the outside layer of the eye.

A study conducted by University of Texas Medical Branch researchers revealed the positive effects of benfotiamine in treating uveitis.

The study demonstrated that benfotiamine could help reduce inflammation and improve vision in those suffering from this condition.

Benfotiamine may be an effective treatment option for those looking to reduce their risk of developing chronic eye diseases or managing existing conditions.

Should You Be Taking Benfotiamine?

Benfotiamine may be a safe and effective supplement for adults of all ages.*

Supplementing with this fat-soluble vitamin may improve certain health conditions and overall health.*

NeuraZenx is a specialty multi-nutrient supplement formulated for improving nerve health and symptoms of neuropathy.*

It includes a combination of ingredients, including benfotiamine, that have been researched for their effectiveness in improving cognitive function, reducing inflammation, and supporting nerve health.*

Including a multi-ingredient supplement like NeuraZenx in your health regimen may reduce your risk of benfotiamine deficiency-related health consequences and improve nerve function.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease