What is Benfotiamine?

Now, a special type of vitamin B1 has been produced, called Benfotiamine. It is a fat-soluble version of vitamin B1. What does this mean? It means this special form of vitamin B1 can be taken orally in large dosages and it will not flush out of the body the way ordinary Thiamine (vitamin B1) does. Thiamine is found in very small quantities within roasted, crushed garlic and other vegetables such as onions, shallots, and leeks.  Water-soluble vitamin B1/thiamine cannot be stored in the body and flushes out within 4-5 hours.  

The result is that by taking Benfotiamine the blood stream levels of vitamin B1 can now be greatly increased, nutritionally supporting the body’s nerves and nervous system.

History: Benfotiamine is a lipid-soluble form of thiamine (vitamin B-1).  It was developed in Japan in the early 1960's and the Germans have long used it to treat alcoholic neuritis. It is the most effective metabolic precursor of active thiamine, or vitamin B1, available. One of the best description of Benfotiamine I have found was assembled by AOR, a Canadian nutraceutical company:  Abstracts & Summary Description of Benfotiamine. 

For you science geeks, here is the benfotiamine molecule: