There is no official benfotiamine dose. In human studies, researchers have most often used 300 to 600 mg a day, usually split into two or more doses, for periods from 3 weeks to 2 years. That is far more than the 1.1 to 1.2 mg of vitamin B1 adults need each day, so talk to your healthcare professional before starting.
Key Takeaways
- Benfotiamine is a synthetic, fat-soluble form of vitamin B1 (thiamin) that your body converts to thiamin.
- Studies in healthy volunteers found it raises blood thiamin levels more than the same or larger amounts of regular water-soluble thiamin.
- Human studies have used 300 to 600 mg a day most often, with a range of 120 to 900 mg, usually divided into 2 to 4 doses.
- No official upper limit exists, and trials lasting up to 24 months reported it was well tolerated.
- Results on how people feel have been mixed, and longer trials found no measurable change in nerve tests.
- Tingling, numbness or burning in your hands or feet needs a medical evaluation, so talk to your clinician before relying on any supplement.
Evidence grade: Moderate. For the doses studied and their tolerability, several placebo-controlled trials (40 to 165 people, 3 weeks to 24 months) and small absorption studies point the same way, but there is no official dose or upper limit and evidence of benefit is mixed.
What Is Benfotiamine?
Benfotiamine is a synthetic derivative of thiamin, also called vitamin B1. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements describes it as a form that is not water soluble and that the body converts to thiamin. Most other thiamin supplements use thiamin mononitrate or thiamin hydrochloride, which are stable and water soluble.
Once converted, thiamin becomes thiamin diphosphate, its main active form. It acts as a helper molecule for enzymes involved in turning glucose, amino acids and fats into energy, which is why thiamin supports normal energy metabolism and normal nerve function. Your body stores only small amounts of thiamin and it has a short half-life, so you need a steady supply from food. Whole grains, meat, fish and fortified breads and cereals are common sources.
Adults need 1.2 mg of thiamin a day (men) or 1.1 mg (women). Most people in the United States get enough from food. Benfotiamine doses in research are hundreds of times higher than that daily need. To see how B1 fits with the other B vitamins, read our guide to the impact of B vitamins on the nervous system.
Benfotiamine vs Thiamine: Absorption
At normal food amounts, thiamin is absorbed in the small intestine by active transport. At high supplement doses it relies on passive diffusion, and absorption drops off sharply above about 5 mg. Because benfotiamine is fat-soluble, it was developed to get around that limit.
Two small studies in healthy volunteers support this:
- In a 1991 study of 10 healthy young men, benfotiamine produced significantly higher thiamin levels in plasma and red blood cells than thiamin mononitrate, even though the benfotiamine dose was only 40% as large.
- In a 2014 study in healthy volunteers, benfotiamine delivered about 11 times more thiamin to the blood plasma than thiamine hydrochloride, and about twice as much active thiamin diphosphate inside red blood cells.
Longer trials confirm the pattern. Taking 300 mg a day for 24 months, or 600 mg a day for 12 months, markedly raised blood thiamin measures compared with placebo. Higher blood levels show that benfotiamine is well absorbed. On their own, they do not show a health benefit.
| Benfotiamine | Thiamin mononitrate or hydrochloride | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Synthetic thiamin derivative, fat-soluble (not water soluble) | Standard thiamin salts, water soluble |
| How the body uses it | Converted to thiamin, then to active thiamin diphosphate | Absorbed as thiamin, then converted to thiamin diphosphate |
| Absorption at high doses | Higher blood thiamin levels in small human studies | Absorption declines sharply above about 5 mg |
| Where you find it | Benfotiamine supplements | Most multivitamins, B-complex products and fortified foods |
| Amounts in human studies | Mostly 300 to 600 mg a day | Adult daily need is 1.1 to 1.2 mg |
Benfotiamine Doses Used in Human Studies
Most clinical trials of benfotiamine have been done in adults with diabetes who had nerve-related symptoms. They are reported here as research on doses and tolerability, not as a recommendation.
| Study | Daily amount | How it was taken | Length | What was found |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEDIP (2005), 40 people | 400 mg | Two 50 mg tablets, four times a day | 3 weeks | Symptom score improved more than with placebo; no side effects attributed to benfotiamine |
| BENDIP (2008), 165 people | 300 mg or 600 mg | Daily | 6 weeks | Symptom score improved in people who completed the study as planned, but narrowly missed significance across everyone analyzed; stronger at 600 mg; well tolerated |
| Oslo trial (2012), 67 people with type 1 diabetes | 300 mg | Daily | 24 months | Blood thiamin rose sharply; nerve function and inflammation markers did not differ from placebo |
| BOND (2026), 57 people with type 2 diabetes | 600 mg | 300 mg twice a day | 12 months | Well tolerated; nerve fiber, nerve conduction and symptom measures did not differ from placebo |
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements summarizes the earlier work this way: a few small studies using 120 to 900 mg a day, sometimes with other B vitamins, reported less severe symptoms, and larger, longer studies are needed. The shorter trials point to a possible effect on how symptoms feel, while the two longest trials found no change in nerve structure or function. Several of these trials were supported by, or included employees of, a benfotiamine manufacturer.
Timing: Divided Doses and Daily Routine
No study has compared morning with evening dosing, or one dose with several, so there is no proven best time to take benfotiamine. What the trials do show is how researchers gave it:
- BEDIP split 400 mg into four doses of 100 mg through the day.
- BOND gave 300 mg twice a day.
- BENDIP and the Oslo trial used 300 to 600 mg as a daily regimen.
Because thiamin has a short half-life, splitting a larger daily amount mirrors how most studies were designed. In practice, follow the directions on your product label, take it at a consistent time you will remember, and ask your healthcare professional if you are unsure how to divide it.
How Much Benfotiamine Is Too Much?
There is no official upper limit for benfotiamine. For thiamin itself, the Food and Nutrition Board did not set an upper limit because there are no reports of harm from high intakes from food or supplements. It noted, however, that very high intakes could still have adverse effects.
The highest daily amount in the longer trials was 600 mg, taken for 12 months in BOND and for 6 weeks in BENDIP, and it was well tolerated in both. NIH ODS reports studies using up to 900 mg a day. Amounts above what has been studied have no safety data behind them. Because research doses are so far above everyday needs, choose your amount with your healthcare professional rather than assuming more is better.
Tingling or Numbness? Talk to Your Clinician First
Tingling, numbness, burning or weakness in the hands or feet can have many causes, and some need medical care. A clinician can look for the cause before you add a supplement. Benfotiamine supplies vitamin B1 and supports normal thiamin levels, but it is not a substitute for medical care, and you should not stop or change prescribed medicines on your own.
If you are comparing B vitamins, our guide to vitamin B complex dosage covers B1, B6 and B12 together.
Safety and Interactions
In the trials described above, benfotiamine at 300 to 600 mg a day was well tolerated. In BEDIP, no side effects were attributed to it. In the 12-month BOND trial, adverse-event rates were similar to placebo. Long-term safety beyond 2 years has not been studied. For a closer look at reported effects, see benfotiamine side effects.
- Medications that lower thiamin. Thiamin is not known to interact with medicines. However, the loop diuretic furosemide can increase thiamin loss in urine, and the chemotherapy drug fluorouracil has been linked to low thiamin. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you take either.
- Other medicines and supplements. Tell your healthcare provider about every prescription, over-the-counter medicine and supplement you take, including any B-complex or multivitamin that already contains thiamin.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children. The high doses used in research were studied in adults. Talk to your healthcare provider before using benfotiamine if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or considering it for a child.
- Ongoing health conditions. Check with your clinician first if you have a chronic health condition or take several medicines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 600 mg of benfotiamine too much?
600 mg a day was the highest dose in the BENDIP study and the daily dose in the 12-month BOND trial, and it was well tolerated in both. There is no official upper limit, so ask your healthcare professional what is right for you.
Should benfotiamine be taken in divided doses?
Most studies split the daily amount, for example 300 mg twice a day or 100 mg four times a day. No study has compared timing directly, so follow your product label or your healthcare professional's advice.
Is benfotiamine the same as vitamin B1?
Not exactly. Benfotiamine is a synthetic form of thiamin (vitamin B1). Unlike common thiamin supplements, it is not water soluble, and your body converts it to thiamin.
Is benfotiamine better absorbed than regular thiamine?
In small studies of healthy volunteers, benfotiamine produced higher blood thiamin levels than thiamin mononitrate or thiamine hydrochloride. Better absorption does not by itself prove better results for any health outcome.
How long have people taken benfotiamine in studies?
Clinical trials have lasted from 3 weeks to 24 months. It was well tolerated throughout, but the 12- and 24-month trials did not find changes in nerve function compared with placebo.
Can I take benfotiamine with a B-complex or multivitamin?
Some studies combined benfotiamine with other B vitamins. If you take more than one product, check the labels so you know your total B1, B6 and B12, and ask your healthcare professional to review the combination.
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Thiamin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
- Bitsch R, Wolf M, Möller J, Heuzeroth L, Grüneklee D. Bioavailability assessment of the lipophilic benfotiamine as compared to a water-soluble thiamin derivative. Ann Nutr Metab. 1991.
- Xie F, Cheng Z, Li S, et al. Pharmacokinetic study of benfotiamine and the bioavailability assessment compared to thiamine hydrochloride. J Clin Pharmacol. 2014.
- Haupt E, Ledermann H, Köpcke W. Benfotiamine in the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy: a three-week randomized, controlled pilot study (BEDIP study). Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2005.
- Stracke H, Gaus W, Achenbach U, Federlin K, Bretzel RG. Benfotiamine in diabetic polyneuropathy (BENDIP): results of a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2008.
- Fraser DA, Diep LM, Hovden IA, et al. The effects of long-term oral benfotiamine supplementation on peripheral nerve function and inflammatory markers in patients with type 1 diabetes: a 24-month, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2012.
- Ziegler D, Sipola G, Strom A, et al. Effects of benfotiamine treatment over 12 months on morphometric, neurophysiological and clinical measures in type 2 diabetes patients with symptomatic polyneuropathy: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial (BOND study). BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2026.
Disclosure: OPA Nutrition sells supplements, including products mentioned in this article. This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your healthcare provider before using any supplement, especially if you take medication or have a medical condition.
Written and reviewed by Michael Gonzales, Founder, OPA Nutrition · Last reviewed: · How OPA researches and writes
