Piperine: Does Black Pepper Extract Boost Fat Loss?
When you’re starting a weight cut or fat loss program, you want to make sure you’re covering all angles. And for the best results you need to do your research – what’re the best nutrients that’ll accelerate your progress? and which ones will leave you out of shape… and out of pocket?
In this article we’ll take a look at black pepper extract and it’s active component piperine.
It might not be the first nutrient that comes to mind when you think of rippling abs, tones muscles and safe weight loss.
But is this spicy food worth adding to your fat loss stack?
Find out here…
What Are Piperine and Black Pepper?
Piperine is an extract from black pepper, which of course is one of the most commonly used spices in the world. Whilst you’ll find 1-2% piperine in long pepper, you’ll find as much as 9% in black pepper.
As a flowering vine that grows primarily throughout the tropics, black pepper is native to southwest India, where the majority of production occurs. It’s also produced and sold in Brazil too.
This food is produced by harvesting the still unripe, green fruit of the plant and letting them dry until enzymes cause them to shrivel into a dark peppercorn.
Black pepper of course has been used as a dried spice for centuries, being referred to as ‘black gold’ and ‘king of spices’ due to its popularity in a number of cultures and cuisines.
It is used for its medicinal, preservative and perfumery qualities, as well as its culinary versatility.
Black Pepper Nutrient Profile
Black pepper is an excellent diuretic, antioxidant and antibacterial food. It is also a great carminative too, meaning it can help relieve stomach bloating, gas and wind.
In this food you’ll find both a high level of carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Not only that, but you’ll also find:
Vitamins A, C and K
Protein
Calcium
Magnesium
Iron
Piperine
Piperine as a bioactive compound
As the main component of black pepper, piperine is the compound responsible for its pungent aroma and taste. Piperine was discovered in the early 19th century and gets its name from the black pepper genus piper.
It’s a bioactive compound in that it has a direct effect on tissues and cells. Other compounds found in black pepper include pellitorine, guineensine and piperonal.
The Health Benefits of Black Pepper
Many people throw the word super food around without much thought or consideration these days.
But if you were to really look at the nutrient density and health benefits of black pepper extract, you’d soon be referring to this spice as a super food too.
Here’s a breakdown of what the research says about its health benefits…
Gastrointestinal disorders
A number of research papers have pointed to the use of black pepper extract as an aid to gastrointestinal and abdominal conditions.
It has been found to stimulate digestive enzymes and gastric acid secretion. It has also been reported that it can decrease gastric emptying time too [1].
Black pepper has been used to treat constipation, diarrhoea and dyspepsia.
Anti-inflammatory effects
A study published in Arthritis Research and Therapy [2] tested piperine on interleukins – inflammatory markers in the body that are often elevated in diseases such as arthritis.
The research team found that when 20-100 mg of black pepper extract was given over an 8-week period, pain and symptoms associated with arthritis has significantly decreased.
Piperine for Fat Loss
Much like capsaicin, piperine has been linked to fat burning properties, as well as a possible metabolism-boosting effect. And not just in a one-dimensional way either.
Breaks down fat cells
A study published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research [3] found that when introduced into a high-fat diet, black pepper helped to significantly reduce weight gain without altering food intake. Not only that, it also helped:
Fat cells decrease in size
Improve cholesterol levels
Suppress leptin and lipase (hormones that help regulate hunger)
Decrease liver triglycerides
Piperine is thought to decrease fat cell size by inhibiting two specific proteins – PPARy and LXRa – both of which regulate genes involved in adipose cell growth.
A potent thermogenic
The key to successful fat loss is to fall into a calorie deficit. And thermogenic compounds help you achieve this by raising your metabolism and increasing energy turnover.
Piperine is considered a thermogenic because it acts like an on-switch to two fat regulating receptors in the body – TRPA1 and TRPV1. And when triggered, these receptors ramp up energy metabolism and suppress fat cell growth [4].
Instant Knockout
Not only does Instant Knockout hit you with a generous 10 mg of black pepper extract, it contains other natural fat burning nutrients too – you’ll find green tea extract, green coffee bean and glucommanan as well.
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Duke, JA et al. Black pepper: In:Handbook of medicinal herbs. 2nd ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL; 2002: 98-99
Bang, JS et al. Anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic effects of piperine in human interleukin 1β-stimulated fibroblast-like synoviocytes and in rat arthritis models. Arthritis Res Ther. 2009; 11(2): R49
Kim, KJ et al. Piperidine alkaloids from Piperretrofractum Vahl. protect against high-fat diet-induced obesity by regulating lipid metabolism and activating AMP-activated protein kinase. Biochem Biophys Res Comm. 2011; 411(1): 219–225
Okumura, Y et al. Adiposity suppression effect in mice due to black pepper and its main pungent component, piperine. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010; 74(8): 1545-9
