Piperine is the compound that gives black pepper its bite. Hair Radiance includes a small amount of black pepper extract, standardized to 95% piperine, to help the body absorb curcumin, the main compound in turmeric. In a 1998 study in people, 20 mg of piperine raised curcumin bioavailability by 2,000%. Here is how it works and what the studies show.
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From Anirva, the maker of Hair Radiance. This article is general information, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
- Piperine slows the breakdown of many plant compounds. [1][3]
- In people, 20 mg of piperine raised curcumin bioavailability by 2,000%. [3]
- With 5 mg of piperine, beta-carotene exposure was about 60% higher. [5]
- In mice, piperine raised blood levels of EGCG, a green tea compound. [6]
- Hair Radiance pairs 2 mg of black pepper extract with 60 mg of curcumin. [2]
Here is how piperine works, and what the absorption studies show.
Facts at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ingredient | Black pepper extract (Piper nigrum), 95% piperine [2] |
| Amount in Hair Radiance | 2 mg a day, in 3 capsules (about 1.9 mg of piperine) [2] |
| Why it's included | To help the body absorb curcumin, not for hair growth itself [2][3] |
| Human studies cited here | 2 absorption trials found a benefit (curcumin, beta-carotene); 1 found no significant curcumin difference [3][5][7] |
| Adult upper limit | None has been set |
| Last reviewed | [DATE] |
What is piperine, and why does curcumin need it?
Piperine is the pungent compound in black pepper, Piper nigrum [1]. A 2007 review found that it strongly slows the enzymes in the liver and gut that break down many compounds [1].
The liver and the gut wall break it down quickly [3]. When people took 2 g of curcumin alone, blood levels were undetectable or very low [3].
How does piperine help the body absorb other compounds?
It slows a key breakdown step
The body clears curcumin partly through a step called glucuronidation. Piperine is a known inhibitor of this step in the liver and gut [3]. In mice, it slowed this step in the small intestine [6].
It slows a pump and an enzyme
In a study using human cells, piperine inhibited P-glycoprotein, a pump that pushes compounds out of cells, and CYP3A4, an enzyme that breaks compounds down [4].
What the absorption studies show
The research is still growing, and the results are not all the same.
Curcumin in people and rats (1998)
In healthy volunteers, 20 mg of piperine with 2 g of curcumin raised curcumin bioavailability by 2,000% [3]. In rats, the rise was 154%. No adverse effects were reported [3].
Beta-carotene in people (1999)
In a double-blind trial, 12 men took 15 mg of beta-carotene daily for 14 days, once with 5 mg of piperine and once with placebo. Overall beta-carotene exposure was about 60% higher with piperine [5].
Green tea EGCG in mice (2004)
In mice, piperine given with EGCG raised peak blood levels and overall exposure 1.3-fold [6].
A newer curcumin study (2021)
In 2021, 30 healthy adults took single doses of five turmeric products. The product with piperine showed no significant difference from a standard extract [7].
In 2024, a UK expert committee reviewed the curcumin evidence. It called the claim that piperine improves curcumin bioavailability questionable, with high uncertainty [8].
Study summary
| Study | What was tested | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Shoba et al., 1998 [3] | 20 mg piperine + 2 g curcumin, people and rats | Curcumin bioavailability +2,000% (people), +154% (rats) |
| Badmaev et al., 1999 [5] | 5 mg piperine + 15 mg beta-carotene, 12 men, 14 days | Beta-carotene exposure ~60% higher |
| Lambert et al., 2004 [6] | Piperine + EGCG (green tea), mice | EGCG blood levels 1.3-fold higher |
| Fança-Berthon et al., 2021 [7] | 5 turmeric products including a piperine-curcuminoid blend, 30 adults | No significant difference vs. standard extract |
How much black pepper extract is in Hair Radiance?
Hair Radiance provides 2 mg of black pepper extract a day, standardized to 95% piperine [2]. That is about 1.9 mg of piperine, paired with 60 mg of curcumin [2].
The two human absorption studies that found a benefit used 5 mg and 20 mg of piperine [3][5]. The effect at the Hair Radiance amounts has not been measured.
22 ingredients, including black pepper extract paired with curcumin
Hair Radiance is a daily three-capsule supplement that pairs 2 mg of black pepper extract with 60 mg of curcumin, among other plant extracts. Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label.
See Hair RadianceIs piperine safe? Safety and interactions
Piperine can change how the body handles some medicines. In healthy adults taking 15 mg of piperine a day for 3 days, sleep time after a sedative averaged 188 minutes, versus 102 without piperine [9]. In another study, 24 mg of piperine with curcuminoids had no clinically meaningful effect on three test medicines [10].
The NIH notes that curcumin products made to be absorbed better, which often contain piperine, may harm the liver in some people. Signs include fatigue, nausea, dark urine and yellow skin [11].
Black pepper extract is one part of Hair Radiance
Hair Radiance is a daily three-capsule hair growth supplement with 22 ingredients: vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, an amino acid and three probiotic strains. They were chosen to support healthy hair growth, to help promote silky, smooth hair, and to strengthen and maintain healthy hair. Black pepper extract is in the formula to help the body absorb curcumin.
Hair Radiance has not been clinically tested as a finished product. For this reason, we cannot say how its ingredients work together.
Hair Radiance is made in Phoenix, Arizona, in a cGMP-certified facility. Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label [2].
- Black pepper extract is in Hair Radiance to help the body absorb curcumin [2]. Its 2 mg amount is small next to the 20 mg used in the 1998 study [3].
- Take Hair Radiance with food, as the directions say [2].
- If you take another curcumin product with piperine, add up the amounts.
- If you take prescription medicines, or if you are pregnant or nursing, ask your doctor or pharmacist before you start.
If you are deciding
Here is the case in brief. In people, piperine raised curcumin bioavailability by 2,000% at 20 mg and beta-carotene exposure by about 60% at 5 mg [3][5]. A 2021 study found no significant difference for curcumin [7]. Hair Radiance supplies about 1.9 mg of piperine with 60 mg of curcumin [2].
The short version
Piperine from black pepper slows the breakdown of curcumin. In one study, 20 mg raised curcumin bioavailability by 2,000%, although a later study found no significant difference. Hair Radiance provides 2 mg of black pepper extract with 60 mg of curcumin.
Frequently asked questions
Why is black pepper added to curcumin?
Piperine slows the breakdown of curcumin. In one study, 20 mg of piperine raised curcumin bioavailability by 2,000% [3].
Does piperine help absorb other nutrients?
Do all studies agree?
Does piperine interact with medicines?
It may. At 15 mg a day for 3 days, people slept longer after a sedative [9].
How much black pepper extract is in Hair Radiance?
Each serving of three capsules has 2 mg, standardized to 95% piperine [2].
References
- Srinivasan K. Black pepper and its pungent principle-piperine: a review of diverse physiological effects. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2007;47(8):735-748. doi:10.1080/10408390601062054. PMID: 17987447.
- Anirva. Hair Radiance Supplement Facts label and product page. https://anirva.com/pages/hair-growth-supplement-with-probiotics (accessed October 8, 2026).
- Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, Majeed M, Rajendran R, Srinivas PS. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Med. 1998;64(4):353-356. doi:10.1055/s-2006-957450. PMID: 9619120.
- Bhardwaj RK, Glaeser H, Becquemont L, Klotz U, Gupta SK, Fromm MF. Piperine, a major constituent of black pepper, inhibits human P-glycoprotein and CYP3A4. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2002;302(2):645-650. doi:10.1124/jpet.102.034728. PMID: 12130727.
- Badmaev V, Majeed M, Norkus EP. Piperine, an alkaloid derived from black pepper, increases serum response of beta-carotene during 14 days of oral beta-carotene supplementation. Nutr Res. 1999;19(3):381-388.
- Lambert JD, Hong J, Kim DH, Mishin VM, Yang CS. Piperine enhances the bioavailability of the tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate in mice. J Nutr. 2004;134(8):1948-1952. doi:10.1093/jn/134.8.1948. PMID: 15284381.
- Fança-Berthon P, Tenon M, Le Bouter-Banon S, Manfré A, Maudet C, Dion A, Chevallier H, Laval J, van Breemen RB. Pharmacokinetics of a single dose of turmeric curcuminoids depends on formulation: results of a human crossover study. J Nutr. 2021;151(7):1802-1816. doi:10.1093/jn/nxab087. PMID: 33877323.
- Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT). Statement on the potential risk to human health of turmeric and curcumin supplements. Statement COT/2024/07. December 2024.
- Rezaee MM, Kazemi S, Kazemi MT, Gharooee S, Yazdani E, Gharooee H, Shiran MR, Moghadamnia AA. The effect of piperine on midazolam plasma concentration in healthy volunteers, a research on the CYP3A-involving metabolism. Daru. 2014;22:8. doi:10.1186/2008-2231-22-8.
- Volak LP, Hanley MJ, Masse G, Hazarika S, Harmatz JS, Badmaev V, Majeed M, Greenblatt DJ, Court MH. Effect of a herbal extract containing curcumin and piperine on midazolam, flurbiprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen) pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013;75(2):450-462. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04364.x.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Turmeric. Last updated April 2025.
