Black pepper can boost the absorption of certain nutrients by up to 2,000%.

The secret to this massive nutritional boost is piperine, the alkaloid responsible for the pungency of black pepper (Piper nigrum). Research published in the journal Planta Medica in 1998 demonstrated that when 20 mg of piperine was administered with 2,000 mg of curcumin, its bioavailability increased by 2,000%. Without piperine, the human body metabolizes and eliminates curcumin so rapidly that its health benefits are largely lost.Piperine works by inhibiting specific metabolic pathways, particularly the process of glucuronidation in the liver. It also slows down the activity of enzymes like CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein, which are responsible for the first-pass metabolism of many supplements and drugs. By suppressing these 'gatekeeper' enzymes, piperine allows more of the active compound to pass through the intestinal wall and enter the systemic circulation.Beyond turmeric, piperine has been shown to enhance the uptake of beta-carotene, selenium, and vitamin B6. It may also increase thermogenesis, which slightly raises the body's internal temperature and metabolic rate. This dual action of metabolic inhibition and increased blood flow to the digestive tract makes black pepper a powerful 'bio-enhancer' in modern nutritional science.