Piperine is an acid amide alkaloid and, as the main substance of pepper, has not only pungent properties. It is also helpful because it favorably affects biological processes in the body.
What is piperine?
Piperine directly affects our health. By blocking calcium transport, piperine can lower blood pressure. The alkaloid piperine provides the pungency of pepper and is found in all types of pepper. White pepper is particularly rich in piperine. Scientific studies have shown that piperine promotes the absorption of nutrients. It is also said to inhibit inflammation and tumor growth, and to have antibacterial effects. However, it may have negative effects when interacted with certain medications.
Pharmacological effects
Piperine was identified as a bioenhancer in the United States in 1979. Previously, physicians had found that the effect of lungwort against asthma could be increased when pepper was taken at the same time. The so-called bioenhancers have amazing properties: they can improve the absorption of substances via the intestines, but also inhibit the breakdown of substances in the intestines and in the liver. Piperine positively influences the absorption of most vitamins as well as numerous amino acids. This amazing ability has so far only been discovered in plants. Piperine also has a positive effect on the ability to cross the blood–brain barrier and lowers the defense mechanisms of pathological or tumor tissue. This means that its intake reduces the likelihood of tumor enlargement. This is something piperine has in common with almost all bioactive compounds.
Medical application and use
The medical knowledge of bioactive substances is based on Ayurvedic teachings, which come from India. Bioenhancers such as piperine can be used to benefit a wide variety of metabolic processes and maintain vital mechanisms. This means they can all increase the availability of vitamins, nutrients and active ingredients at the target structures. Many nutrients are not utilized in the poison centers of our body, the liver and the intestines, but are excreted or transformed. Bioactive substances can ensure that these are almost completely utilized and reach their destinations more easily. To ensure that the bioactive effect of pepper is not lost, the spice must be stored in a dry, cool and, above all, dark place. If pepper is exposed to light for too long, piperine converts into isochavicine, i.e. decomposes. Piperine has a direct effect on our health. By blocking calcium transport, piperine can lower blood pressure. It also has antioxidant properties, i.e., it can render free radicals harmless and thus protect against various diseases. In addition, it can enhance the effectiveness of some drugs by inhibiting the biotransformation of the enzymes they contain. The generally activating substance can even contribute to a brightening of mood and shows success with rheumatism patients. It is not without reason that piperine in its pure form, i.e. as pepper, has been a standard medicine in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. There are many neuroprotective substances. Piperine is one of them. Its nerve-protective effect has been confirmed in animal studies as well.
Risks and side effects
Piperine protects against degenerative diseases of the brain and strengthens nerve cells. The greatest damage to nerve cells is exerted by oxidative stress. Mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, are at the center of these processes. Piperine can stabilize the function of the mitochondria and thus has a neuroprotective effect. As a result, neuroprotective substances such as piperine are also used as a complementary therapy for stroke patients, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. Due to its numerous positive properties, piperine is increasingly used as a dietary supplement. It is also said to have a weight-reducing effect, but fat loss also depends on many other factors and cannot be influenced by piperine alone. Since 2009, the substance has even been approved as a tuberculosis drug in India. Antibiotics commonly used in our country also often contain piperine, with the positive effect that other ingredients can be dosed more weakly. In Europe and the U.S., however, piperine is less important as a medicinal substance, because here people rely more on products from the pharmaceutical industry. Nevertheless, pepper is a natural remedy and can increase well-being.For thousands of years it has been used in Indian medicine against stomach problems, bronchitis, insomnia and even cholera. In Ayurvedic medicine, piperine is also known as a painkiller. In combination with nicotine, alcohol or drugs, piperine can have very negative effects. Those who live a healthy life can definitely boost fat burning with piperine. The antibacterial, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of black pepper are undisputed.
