An extract of black peppercorns.
Why it’s used: Included to help the body absorb other ingredients, especially curcumin.
Black pepper extract is made from the dried berries of Piper nigrum, the climbing vine behind the most widely used spice in the world. Its main active compound is piperine, the alkaloid that gives pepper its sharp, warming bite. Extracts are usually standardised to around 95% piperine.
In the kitchen, pepper is used in tiny amounts. In supplements, piperine is added for a different reason: it can change how the gut and liver handle other compounds, which means more of certain ingredients reach the bloodstream. This is why it is so often paired with curcumin from turmeric, which on its own is poorly absorbed.
On labels you may see black pepper extract, Piper nigrum fruit extract, piperine, or a trademarked name for a standardised extract. It is nearly always a minor ingredient in a blend rather than the main event. Its job is to support the absorption of the ingredients it sits alongside.
3 findings behind this ingredient. Hover a card for the detail and the source.
Randomised double-blind trial in haemodialysis patients given 3 g turmeric a day with or without 2 mg piperine for 12 weeks. Only the piperine group saw falls in malondialdehyde and ferritin, and the difference between groups was significant.
Pharmacokinetic study in rats and healthy human volunteers. In people, 2 g curcumin alone gave very low or undetectable blood levels, while adding 20 mg piperine increased curcumin bioavailability by 2000% with no adverse effects.
Double-blind study in healthy adult men taking 90–120 mg coenzyme Q10 with 5 mg piperine or placebo. After 21 days on 120 mg, the area under the plasma curve was significantly higher, by about 30%, with piperine.
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Curcumin from turmeric is poorly absorbed on its own. Piperine from black pepper can slow how quickly the body breaks down and clears certain compounds, so more curcumin reaches the bloodstream. That is why the two are commonly combined in supplements.
Only a small amount. Piperine is a supporting ingredient rather than a main active, and it is used at a tiny fraction of the weight of the botanicals it is paired with. Check the label for the exact figure, as it varies between products.
It can. The same effect that helps curcumin absorption may raise blood levels of some medicines, potentially increasing their effects or side effects. If you take prescription medicines, ask your pharmacist before using a supplement containing black pepper extract.
Information only, not medical advice. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your GP or pharmacist first.
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