BioPerine®
absorption
BioPerine® is a patented extract from black pepper fruit, standardized to 95% piperine — the compound behind black pepper's bite and its well-documented ability to enhance bioavailability. It works by inhibiting glucuronidation, a metabolic process that would otherwise break down and eliminate supplement compounds before your body can use them.
We include BioPerine® because it's the most widely used absorption enhancer in the supplement industry. Piperine's mechanism is one of the best-understood in supplement science, and pairing it with AstraGin® gives our formula two distinct pathways for getting ingredients into your system instead of through it.
The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
BioPerine® Benefits — What Studies Found
Your liver flags nutrients for removal before they’re fully absorbed. BioPerine® helps slow that process so more of every dose gets used.
Your body has a protective process called glucuronidation — the liver tags foreign compounds for elimination before they reach effective levels in your bloodstream. This normally prevents buildup of harmful substances, but it can also remove beneficial supplement ingredients before they do any good.
Piperine inhibits this process. The result: more of what you take actually gets into your system and reaches target tissues. It primarily affects first-pass metabolism in the liver and intestinal wall, allowing more compounds to bypass early elimination.
At just 5mg, BioPerine® is a small but important supporting player. It amplifies the value of everything else in the formula — which is why black pepper extract has become a standard inclusion in well-formulated supplements.
How BioPerine® Enhances Absorption
Piperine inhibits a liver process that would otherwise eliminate supplement compounds before they can work
Active compounds enter the digestive system and are absorbed into the bloodstream.
The liver normally attaches glucuronic acid to foreign compounds, marking them for rapid excretion.
BioPerine®'s piperine inhibits the UGT enzymes responsible for this elimination process.
More active compounds bypass first-pass elimination and reach effective levels in your bloodstream.
Supplement Ingested
Active compounds enter the digestive system and are absorbed into the bloodstream.
First-Pass Metabolism
The liver normally attaches glucuronic acid to foreign compounds, marking them for rapid excretion.
Piperine Blocks Glucuronidation
BioPerine®'s piperine inhibits the UGT enzymes responsible for this elimination process.
Enhanced Bioavailability
More active compounds bypass first-pass elimination and reach effective levels in your bloodstream.
Why a 5mg dose of BioPerine®
5mg of BioPerine® standardized to 95% piperine is the industry-standard dose for bioavailability enhancement.
- Industry-Standard Dose 5mg is the researched amount used across numerous clinical studies on bioavailability enhancement.
- Patented Black Pepper Extract Standardized to 95% piperine, the specific compound responsible for inhibiting glucuronidation in the liver and gut wall.
- Makes the Formula Work Harder Included solely to help other ingredients survive first-pass metabolism and reach effective blood levels.
- Well-Understood Mechanism Piperine’s effect on glucuronidation enzymes is documented and is why black pepper extract appears in most quality supplement formulas.
Why not more? Piperine doesn’t just affect supplements — it can affect medications too. By keeping the dose moderate, we get absorption benefits without excessive interference with metabolic processes.
The Industry Standard
5mg of 95% piperine is the dose used across virtually all BioPerine® research. It's the industry standard for bioavailability enhancement — not a range, but the established amount.
Your liver tags compounds for elimination before they're absorbed. Piperine slows that clearance — one mechanism, widest reach.
01
Curcumin Bioavailability Enhancement
Shoba G, et al. (1998). Planta Medica.
Source
Curcumin Bioavailability Enhancement
Shoba G, et al. (1998). Planta Medica. Source
In a landmark study, co-administration of 20mg piperine with curcumin increased curcumin bioavailability by 2000% in human volunteers. This demonstrated piperine's potent ability to inhibit the metabolic elimination of polyphenol compounds.
02
CoQ10 Absorption Enhancement
Badmaev V, et al. (2000). Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.
Source
CoQ10 Absorption Enhancement
Badmaev V, et al. (2000). Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. Source
A 21-day double-blind study found that 5mg of piperine (as BioPerine®) co-administered with CoQ10 produced a 30% greater increase in plasma CoQ10 levels compared to CoQ10 alone. This is the dose used in our formula.
03
Glucuronidation Inhibition Mechanism
Singh J, et al. (1986). Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
Source
Glucuronidation Inhibition Mechanism
Singh J, et al. (1986). Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Source
Research established that piperine lowers endogenous UDP-glucuronic acid content and inhibits UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity in intestinal cells, providing the mechanistic basis for its bioavailability-enhancing effects.
Published Research
6 studiesEvery claim we make is grounded in peer-reviewed research. Tap any study to read the abstract.
Our Assessment: BioPerine®
The absorption mechanism is well-understood and BioPerine® is the industry standard. Included to make every other ingredient work harder — a formula optimizer, not a standalone ingredient.
- The mechanism (glucuronidation inhibition) is well-understood
- BioPerine® is the industry standard for absorption enhancement
- Dramatic effects are documented for specific compounds (like curcumin)
- The 5mg dose is well-researched and standardized
- Effects differ significantly by compound
- Not everything benefits equally from piperine
- Individual response may vary based on metabolism
- The full scope of which specific ingredients benefit most isn’t completely mapped
How BioPerine® Fits the Formula
No ingredient works alone. BioPerine® was chosen because it amplifies — and is amplified by — specific formula partners.
Vitamin D
Piperine supports the intestinal absorption of fat-soluble compounds. Since vitamin D requires adequate absorption to address common deficiencies, BioPerine® helps ensure more of each dose reaches your bloodstream.
Vitamin B6
Water-soluble vitamins like B6 can benefit from enhanced uptake. BioPerine®’s effects on intestinal transport may help B6 achieve better blood levels to support its role in neurotransmitter synthesis and hormone metabolism.
Ashwagandha, Tongkat Ali & Fenugreek
Plant-derived compounds face significant first-pass metabolism in the liver. Piperine inhibits glucuronidation — the process that marks these botanical extracts for elimination — allowing more of their active compounds to reach effective levels.
AstraGin®
BioPerine® and AstraGin® work through complementary mechanisms. BioPerine® inhibits liver metabolism that eliminates compounds after absorption. AstraGin® supports the absorption step itself in the gut. Together, they address two different bottlenecks in nutrient delivery.
Safety and Precautions
Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new dietary supplement, especially if you have an existing medical condition or take prescription medications.
