Sulbutiamine – a Nootropic Supplement to Improve Concentration and Reduce Fatigue

Sulbutiamine is a derivative of Vitamin B1 or thiamine. Thiamine has long been recognised as an essential vitamin that contributes to energy, brain function and performance. The potential of thiamine supplementation to improve human performance means that it has been the subject of extensive research, with some promising results. Sulbutiamine, in particular, is an analogue – an equivalent or precursor – to naturally occurring vitamin B1 which has a slightly different uptake and mechanism of action, and which has exciting applications in nootropic medicine; sulbutiamine can help improve brain function.^[1]Braintropic. (2019). Sulbutiamine – Review of Benefits, Effects, Dosage, and More | Braintropic. [online] Available at https://www.braintropic.com/nootropics/sulbutiamine/ [Accessed 14 Dec. 2019]. 

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What are the benefits of taking sulbutiamine? 

Sulbutiamine increases the amount of thiamine that can be used by the brain to improve concentration, mental, and possibly physical performance. For a healthy person, sulbutiamine can enhance memory and improve functional performance in mental and physical tasks.^[2]Micheau, J., Durkin, T.P., Destrade, C., Rolland, Y. and Jaffard, R., 1985. Chronic administration of sulbutiamine improves long term memory formation in mice: possible cholinergic mediation. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 23(2), pp.195-198. Sulbutiamine can also be used to treat asthenia^[3] Sciencedirect.com. (2019). Asthenia – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. [online] Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/asthenia [Accessed 14 Dec. 2019].  in those already experiencing symptoms of fatigue and weakness with no identifiable cause or who have suffered fatigue and weakness following an illness.^[4]Tiev KP, Cabane J, Imbert JC. [Treatment of chronic postinfectious fatigue: randomized double-blind study of two doses of sulbutiamine (400-600 mg/day) versus placebo] Rev Med Interne. 1999;20(10):912–918. There is an increasing body of evidence linking sulbutiamine to reduced fatigue and has even improved feelings of weakness in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).^[5]Sevim, S., Kaleağası, H. and Taşdelen, B., 2017. Sulbutiamine shows promising results in reducing fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis and related disorders, 16, pp.40-43.^[6]Pillbuys.com. (2019). [online] Available at https://pillbuys.com/research/Sulbutiamine/22.pdf [Accessed 14 Dec. 2019]. With improved brain function and concentration comes a significant improvement in short and long-term memory, and after successful animal studies^[7]Micheau, J., Durkin, T.P., Destrade, C., Rolland, Y. and Jaffard, R., 1985. Chronic administration of sulbutiamine improves long term memory formation in mice: possible cholinergic mediation. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 23(2), pp.195-198. sulbutiamine is now being trialled in people suffering Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, with the potential to change lives.^[8]Gibson, G.E., Hirsch, J.A., Fonzetti, P., Jordon, B.D., Cirio, R.T. and Elder, J., 2016. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) and dementia. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1367(1), p.21. 

Are there any risks associated with sulbutiamine?

The most stringent studies to have been done on sulbutiamine so far list some possible side effects, including headache and gastrointestinal disturbances,^[9]Alraek T, Lee MS, Choi TY, Cao H, Liu J (October 2011). “Complementary and alternative medicine for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review“. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 11: 87. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-11-87 and so it is recommended that sulbutiamine should be started at a low dose to monitor for side effects in the individual. Nootropic ‘stacking’ – the practice of combining different supplements or medications for optimum effect, should only be used after trialling each supplement individually for effect. Some people have reported sleeplessness after taking sulbutiamine, but as its duration of action is only around five hours,^[10]Braintropic. (2019). Sulbutiamine – Review of Benefits, Effects, Dosage, and More | Braintropic. [online] Available at https://www.braintropic.com/nootropics/sulbutiamine/ [Accessed 14 Dec. 2019]. this can be managed by avoiding sulbutiamine supplements within five hours of bedtime. 

The regulation of sulbutiamine varies from country to country, and in Australia is not yet recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration^[11]Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). (2019). Australian regulatory guidelines for complementary medicines (ARGCM). [online] Available at: https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/australian-regulatory-guidelines-complementary-medicines-argcm.pdf [Accessed 14 Dec. 2019]. which governs medications.^[12]Ghosh, D., Skinner, M. and Ferguson, L.R., 2006. The role of the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Medicine and Medical Devices Safety Authority in evaluating complementary and alternative medicines in Australia and New Zealand. Toxicology, 221(1), pp.88-94. Sulbutiamine is well recognised and used as a mainstream nootropic supplement in some other countries, most notably in France. 

How should I take sulbutiamine? 

The current recommended dosage to achieve the intended effects of sulbutiamine without significant risk of side effects is 200mg one to three times a day,^[13]5 Sulbutiamine (Arcalion) Benefits + Dosage, Side Effects – SelfHacked. (2019). Retrieved 14 December 2019, from https://selfhacked.com/blog/sulbutiamine/ and it is readily available in tablets of this strength. Sulbutiamine is a fat-soluble substance, and its uptake in the body may be increased by taking it with a meal. As a lipophilic – fat-soluble – compound, it can cross the blood-brain barrier and directly affect those parts of the brain known to be associated with memory,^[14]Bizot, J.C., Herpin, A., Pothion, S., Pirot, S., Trovero, F. and Ollat, H., 2005. Chronic treatment with sulbutiamine improves memory in an object recognition task and reduces some amnesic effects of dizocilpine in a spatial delayed-non-match-to-sample task. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 29(6), pp.928-935. fatigue and functional ability.^[15]Van Reeth, O., 1999. Pharmacologic and therapeutic features of sulbutiamine. Drugs Today (Barc), 35(3), pp.187-192. 

Sulbutiamine is not thought to be addictive as it has no psychotropic effect and no components that cause chemical dependency. Sulbutiamine is recommended for only short-term use, and as always, it is important to consult a doctor before beginning any new supplements, especially for those with pre-existing conditions or who take regular medications.

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Originally posted on December 16, 2019, last updated on April 1, 2024.