Studies show that a form of vitamin B1 called benfotiamine can significantly reduce the harmful effects of a number of diseases affecting the kidneys, heart, and eyes, as well as peripheral nerve disorders.

Diabetes affects all these organs and tissues, making benfotiamine especially useful for diabetics.

Several Alzheimer’s studies using both animal models and human cases strongly suggest that benfotiamine alone or benfotiamine combined with thiamine can reverse a great deal of the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. In human cases, it stopped the progression of cognitive decline and even improved cognitive function over a long period.

It would appear that the beneficial effects of benfotiamine are based on improving brain glucose metabolism, which is known to be impaired even years before symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease present themselves. Yet recent studies suggest more may be involved.

One key effect of this compound is its effect on an enzyme (GSK-3) that regulates glutamate receptor function. Other studies have shown that by reducing the activity of brain GSK-3, benfotiamine reduces aggression and anger in animals under stress. Researchers found that giving mice with genetically induced Alzheimer’s benfotiamine significantly reduced brain formations of beta-amyloid plaque, a marker for Alzheimer’s disease. It also dramatically improved their cognitive function.

In a human study of five patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, researchers found that benfotiamine significantly improved cognitive ability in all five over the course of 18 months.

One important way benfotiamine may operate to prevent and improve cognitive ability is that it corrects insulin resistance. Recent studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have insulin resistance within their affected brain areas — so-called Type 3 diabetes. Further evidence linking insulin resistance to Alzheimer’s disease includes the fact that Alzheimer’s more often develops in diabetics, and patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.

The dose of benfotiamine used in this study was 300 mg per day with food. Higher doses may be of greater benefit, but should be used with caution.

People with reactive hypoglycemia may be particularly sensitive to the hypoglycemic effects of benfotiamine, hence they should start with a low dose, such as 150 mg a day with meals. It may take weeks to months to see the full benefits.

Benfotiamine should not be taken by pregnant women or women likely to get pregnant.