Benfotiamine Dosing Equivalent to 600mg Thiamine
If you want to supplement with the equivalent of 600mg thiamine, take 300mg benfotiamine daily, which provides approximately 5-11 times higher bioavailability and tissue delivery than standard thiamine.
Bioavailability Comparison
The research demonstrates that benfotiamine has dramatically superior absorption and tissue penetration compared to thiamine hydrochloride:
- Plasma thiamine bioavailability from benfotiamine is approximately 1,147% (11.5-fold) higher than from equivalent doses of thiamine hydrochloride 1
- Erythrocyte thiamine diphosphate (TDP) levels are approximately 196% (2-fold) higher with benfotiamine versus thiamine 1
- In animal studies, muscle and brain tissue showed 5-25 fold higher thiamine incorporation with benfotiamine compared to thiamine 2
- Erythrocyte thiamine levels were 25-fold higher in benfotiamine-treated groups versus thiamine-treated groups in acute alcohol intoxication models 3
Dosing Calculation
Based on the bioavailability data:
- 300mg benfotiamine delivers approximately the same or greater tissue thiamine levels as 600mg thiamine hydrochloride 1, 4
- The lipid-soluble nature of benfotiamine allows superior cellular uptake despite lower absolute dosing 4
- Benfotiamine at only 40% of the thiamine dose achieved significantly better bioavailability in controlled studies 4
Clinical Context from Guidelines
Standard therapeutic thiamine dosing ranges from the guidelines provide context:
- Maintenance after deficiency: 50-100mg/day thiamine orally 5
- Moderate risk situations: 50mg/day thiamine orally 5
- High-risk outpatients: 100-300mg/day thiamine orally 5
- Post-bariatric surgery: 200-300mg/day thiamine orally for high-risk patients 5
Your proposed 600mg thiamine dose is above standard therapeutic ranges used in clinical guidelines, which typically max out at 300mg/day orally for high-risk situations 5.
Practical Recommendation
Take 300mg benfotiamine daily to achieve tissue thiamine levels equivalent to or exceeding 600mg thiamine hydrochloride 1, 4. This dose:
- Provides superior tissue penetration, especially to muscle and brain 2
- Achieves higher erythrocyte TDP concentrations, the active form of thiamine 1
- Has been studied safely at this dose for 24 months in clinical trials 6
- Produces no accumulation of hippuric acid (a metabolite) even with chronic use 1
Safety Considerations
- Thiamine has no established upper toxicity limit, with excess excreted in urine 5
- Doses >400mg may cause mild nausea, anorexia, or mild ataxia 5
- Your equivalent 300mg benfotiamine dose falls below this threshold while delivering superior tissue levels 1, 4
- High-dose benfotiamine (300mg/day) was well-tolerated in a 24-month trial with no significant adverse effects 6
Important Caveat
If you have an acute thiamine deficiency or high-risk condition (alcohol use disorder, malnutrition, post-bariatric surgery with vomiting, neurological symptoms), do not rely on oral supplementation alone—you need IV thiamine 100-500mg/day initially 5. Oral benfotiamine, while superior to oral thiamine, cannot replace IV therapy in acute deficiency states where rapid tissue repletion is critical 5.