Role of the Synthetic B1 Vitamin Sulbutiamine on Health

Sulbutiamine is a thiamine derivative developed in Japan in the mid-60’s as a beriberi treatment drug. Since then, different potential applications have been described. For instance, there is some evidence that sulbutiamine can have anti-fatigue, nootropic, and antioxidant effects, which led to its...

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Main Authors: Bernardo Starling-Soares, Pedro Carrera-Bastos, Lucien Bettendorff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/9349063
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author Bernardo Starling-Soares
Pedro Carrera-Bastos
Lucien Bettendorff
author_facet Bernardo Starling-Soares
Pedro Carrera-Bastos
Lucien Bettendorff
author_sort Bernardo Starling-Soares
collection DOAJ
description Sulbutiamine is a thiamine derivative developed in Japan in the mid-60’s as a beriberi treatment drug. Since then, different potential applications have been described. For instance, there is some evidence that sulbutiamine can have anti-fatigue, nootropic, and antioxidant effects, which led to its use as a sport supplement (although some authors argue it is actually a masking doping strategy). Moreover, this molecule has been proposed as a possible treatment for some microsporidial infections and even for certain types of cancer. Despite these potential effects, sulbutiamine is still a relatively unknown molecule, which justifies the present review, where we discuss its history and the existing literature on its health applications. We conclude that there is a great potential for sulbutiamine use, well beyond its first described function (to increase thiamine tissue concentration). Indeed, new mechanisms of action have been found, mainly associated with its derivatives. Nevertheless, and although the research on sulbutiamine started 50 years ago, only a limited number of studies were conducted during this time frame. As so, methodological concerns need to be addressed and new studies are necessary, especially randomized controlled trials. Only then will the full potential of this versatile molecule be identified.
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spelling doaj-art-1eb24bca35604a0da5e450e018c013fa2025-02-03T01:26:25ZengWileyJournal of Nutrition and Metabolism2090-07242090-07322020-01-01202010.1155/2020/93490639349063Role of the Synthetic B1 Vitamin Sulbutiamine on HealthBernardo Starling-Soares0Pedro Carrera-Bastos1Lucien Bettendorff2Extreme Sports Nutrition Institute, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, BrazilCenter for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, SwedenLaboratory of Neurophysiology, GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, BelgiumSulbutiamine is a thiamine derivative developed in Japan in the mid-60’s as a beriberi treatment drug. Since then, different potential applications have been described. For instance, there is some evidence that sulbutiamine can have anti-fatigue, nootropic, and antioxidant effects, which led to its use as a sport supplement (although some authors argue it is actually a masking doping strategy). Moreover, this molecule has been proposed as a possible treatment for some microsporidial infections and even for certain types of cancer. Despite these potential effects, sulbutiamine is still a relatively unknown molecule, which justifies the present review, where we discuss its history and the existing literature on its health applications. We conclude that there is a great potential for sulbutiamine use, well beyond its first described function (to increase thiamine tissue concentration). Indeed, new mechanisms of action have been found, mainly associated with its derivatives. Nevertheless, and although the research on sulbutiamine started 50 years ago, only a limited number of studies were conducted during this time frame. As so, methodological concerns need to be addressed and new studies are necessary, especially randomized controlled trials. Only then will the full potential of this versatile molecule be identified.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/9349063
spellingShingle Bernardo Starling-Soares
Pedro Carrera-Bastos
Lucien Bettendorff
Role of the Synthetic B1 Vitamin Sulbutiamine on Health
Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
title Role of the Synthetic B1 Vitamin Sulbutiamine on Health
title_full Role of the Synthetic B1 Vitamin Sulbutiamine on Health
title_fullStr Role of the Synthetic B1 Vitamin Sulbutiamine on Health
title_full_unstemmed Role of the Synthetic B1 Vitamin Sulbutiamine on Health
title_short Role of the Synthetic B1 Vitamin Sulbutiamine on Health
title_sort role of the synthetic b1 vitamin sulbutiamine on health
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/9349063
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