Benfotiamine - Lipid Soluble Vitamin B-1 ?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I have heard people using this in the USA for Diabetes, Neural problems, and thiamine deficiency from alcohol consumption. Not a drug but more like a designer supplement.

Normally thiamine is water soluble vitamin but this form of thiamine is fat soluble and apparently much more effective.

http://www.benfotiamine.org/FAQ.htm

Anyone in Thailand using it? Find it locally?

I think I found a product Fascino Pharmacy might sell called BIOTAPLEX-BC

Sounds pricey though.

Any recommendations or advice?

"BIOTAPLEX-BC Benfotiamine Biotamin Plus Vitamin B2 B6 B12 C Complex 100Tablets

BIOTAPLEX-BC is a preparation of Biotamin (Benfotiamine), an active vitamin B1 derivative, fortified by the addition of vitamins B2 B6 B12 and C

1. Biotamin (Benfotiamine) is an active form of vitamin B1 having the following advantages over thiamine hydrochloride : 1) Limitless 2)Better distribution to the blood and organ tissues in higher concentrations, 3)Higher conversion into cocarboxylase and longer-lasting in vivo activity, 4)Stable to vitamin B1-decomposing enzymes in the intestines, and 5)Freedom of malodour characteristic of vitamin B1

2. Riboflavin help promote the growth and keeps the skin and eye in healthy conditions. Pyridoxine hydrochloride helps metabolize proteins and fats and keep the nerve and skin healthy. Cyanocobalamin has a hematopoietic action and improves the nervous function. Ascorbic acid prevents bleeding tendency by strengthening walls of the blood vessels and increases resistance to infectious diseases.

Indications and Dosae : The following daily dosages are given in 1 to 3 divided doses under the supervision of a physician :

***SEE MORE http://www.pharmacyeu.net/distal-nerve-medicine-supplements/211-biotaplex-bc-benfotiamine-biotamin-plus-vitamin-b2-b6-b12-c-complex-100tablets.html

[Sheryl]

I don't think there are any lipid-soluble forms of thiamine in LOS and don't see what the advantage would be other than perhaps less frequent dosing, but how hard iis it to just take a regular thiamine supplement daily? It would certainly be much cheaper.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Well supposedly it really works well for blood sugar issues and neurological problems like painful nerves.

I was basically working off of this and interested to try it and see for myself.

It's fairly cheap in the US at about $20 USD for 250 capsules @ 100mg

Benfotiamine is a synthetic nutritional supplement. It is a lipid-soluble (or fat-soluble) form of the Vitamin B-1. Vitamin B-1 is also known as thiamine. Because it is lipid-soluble, the body metabolizes benfotiamine more quickly than Vitamin B-1 (which is water-soluble). It can also use more of it. There's a limit to how much Vitamin B-1 is useful in one day, however in its lipid-soluble form, the body can metabolize more of this nutrient.

Read more: Uses of Benfotiamine | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5645670_uses-benfotiamine.html#ixzz2FEYDwmmj

[Sheryl]

The safety of taking this vitamin in such large, nonphysiological dosages in a lipdi base (which would allow accumulation of high levels that would not occur normally in nature) has not been tested.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

There are some studies already

http://www.benfotiamine.org/Benfo600Study.pdf

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2012/abstracts/jan2012_Benfotiamine_02.htm

Its interesting relationship as Thiamine deficiencies noted in type 1 and 2 diabetes.

If a person is deficient and eating much carb or drinking alcohol then very difficult to reverse Thiamine deficiency because sugars and alcohol use a lot.

Thiamine deficiency is supposed to be measurable by monitoring an enzyme TK.

No one is talking about dosing longterm.

[woodyleonhard]

Sorry, I just saw this post.

I'm a diabetic, been injecting insulin for almost 20 years. I have problems with peripheral nerve damage. I started taking Biotaplex (Thai manufactured) about six months ago - bought it at Fascino - and I think it's helping, although it's very, very hard to tell for sure: peripheral nerve damage/diabetic neuropathy is hard to measure.

Benfotamine has been approved for long-term use in Germany for many years, but not in the US. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benfotiamine

There's some evidence that it doesn't do anything, c.f., http://www.news-medical.net/news/2008/06/15/39210.aspx

But the US National Institutes of Health has an abstract about a study done in India (published in 2010) that indicates Benfotamine may be useful specifically in reducing peripheral nerve damage and preventing diabetic retinopathy http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20188835

Bottom line: I use it.