Sulbutiamine

Other names Arcalion, Vitamin B1 Derivative

Sulbutiamine is a vitamin B1 derivative which may improve focus, mood, and energy levels. But is it effective? Read on to find out what the science says.

This nootropic has no healthy human placebo-controlled studies that meet our inclusion criteria. Negative side effects can occur if used carelessly, so make sure you’re aware of the risks of Sulbutiamine.

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Benefits

Read about the effects of Sulbutiamine in relation to the amount of evidence we've found

Why do people use sulbutiamine?

People who self-experiment with sulbutiamine often state they use it to improve their:

Memory
Focus
Mood
Energy
Sociality
Learning

There is a lack of solid scientific evidence for the effectiveness of sulbutiamine for any of these purposes, especially in healthy humans.

Can sulbutiamine boost your energy levels?

No studies have examined the effects of sulbutiamine on energy levels in healthy humans.

In one study, 106 participants were given 400mg sulbutiamine daily for 28 days, and 111 participants were given 600mg for the same duration. Compared with the placebo, there were no benefits from the use of sulbutiamine, except for a day-7 reduction in fatigue in the 600mg group. It should be noted that the participants all suffered from chronic postinfectious fatigue, meaning that these findings are of questionable relevance to healthy humans. It should also be kept in mind that no effects were seen after 7 or 28 days for the 400mg group, or after 28 days in the 600mg group.

In another group of patients with infections and abnormally low energy levels, sulbutiamine improved well-being for the average person and completely removed the pathological lack of energy in around half of the patients [1].

In another study, [2] the use of 400mg sulbutiamine daily for two months resulted in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning improvements in patients who had multiple sclerosis and fatigue and were treated for their disease by other means. It did not improve energy levels in patients who were not treated in another way for their disease.

These findings are promising, and more data should be collected on the effects of sulbutiamine in healthy people. But at this point, the evidence available says very little about the efficacy of sulbutiamine as an energy-booster in healthy people.

Will sulbutiamine improve your memory?

No studies have examined the effects of sulbutiamine on memory in healthy humans.

The combination of donepezil and sulbutiamine was more effective than donepezil and placebo in the preservation of episodic memory in patients with Alzheimer's disease [3]. Sulbutiamine did not improve working memory or executive functions but did improve attention. However, attention was also improved in the donepezil-only group so that effect may have been due to a placebo, or thanks to sulbutiamine.

As with any study conducted in diseased people, the transferability of the findings to practical applications in healthy humans is low, since the effects of the substance (in this case sulbutiamine), might only be protective. Protection from a decline in cognitive performance has been noted in studies on sulbutiamine, but not an enhancement of cognitive functions from a normal baseline.

Risks

The legality and side effects of Sulbutiamine

You should always consider the risks of a nootropic before you use it.

Negative side effects of sulbutiamine

In one study 1772 patients with infection and abnormally low energy levels, 15 days of sulbutiamine treatment led to (unspecified) negative side effects in 0.6% of patients [1]. Considering that placebo groups in studies often have side effect frequencies of 20-50% it appears that sulbutiamine is very safe.

Generally, side effects do occur when people take sulbutiamine (e.g. nausea, insomnia, headache), but cannot be attributed to the drug and are likely due to other factors [5].

In another study, [2] 400mg sulbutiamine daily for two months was well tolerated by all 26 patients who received the drug. No serious adverse effects were experienced by any of the participants.

Sulbutiamine appears safe if used in appropriate doses for a maximum of a couple of months. More research is needed to elucidate the potential negative side effects of daily long-term use of sulbutiamine.

Side effects

Interactions

Supplements and drugs can interact with Sulbutiamine to increase or decrease the positive or negative effects you experience. If you are already using any supplements or drugs, speak with your trusted medical professional before you experiment with Sulbutiamine. To learn more about the potential interactions between Sulbutiamine and other substances, use interaction-checker.

Legality

Is your country not included? Learn how to find out if Sulbutiamine is legal in your country.

Legality Disclaimer

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Sulbutiamine

What is sulbutiamine?

Sulbutiamine is a man-made synthetic derivative of vitamin B1.

How does sulbutiamine work?

Sulbutiamine helps "provide thiamine to less accessible tissues (such as the brain), by increasing anti-oxidant capacity and by modulation of protein action" [5].

Here are some of the neurological mechanisms by which sulbutiamine might exert its nootropic effects, based on preliminary evidence from cell and animal studies:

Decreases kainate binding sites in the cingular cortex after chronic administration in rats [8]
Increases D1 dopamine binding sites in the prefrontal and cingular cortex after chronic administration in rats [9]
Acute decreases in dopamine levels were noted in the prefrontal cortex after a single sulbutiamine dose, but no effect was seen on dopamine levels after chronic administration in rats [10]
Improves high-affinity choline uptake in the hippocampus [11], a mechanism it has in common with coluracetam and pramiracetam
Counteracts memory impairments arising from blocked (NMDA) glutamate receptors [12]

The neuropsychopharmacological effects of sulbutiamine have not yet been fully discovered by researchers.

Is sulbutiamine neuroprotective?

In one rat study, sulbutiamine was found neuroprotective in conditions of low oxygen and glucose supplies to the brain [13]. It was in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons of rats that this effect was found, so the practical applicability of the findings to humans is not known.

How does it feel when you take sulbutiamine?

The following qualitative user experience reports and reviews are included to give you an understanding of what the experience of taking sulbutiamine is like.

Anecdotal sulbutiamine experience reports and reviews from Reddit

One person reported the following effects of sulbutiamine:

"While I was on it I would get extreme euphoria from physical exertion. Month after this effect is still largely present. I feel profound sense of well-being and relaxation while exercising. It's real enough that it drastically affected my life style, I work out 4x a week now and joined a sports club. I was a kind of guy that you'd have to physically drag to the gym to make me exercise." [14]

Another person said they had the following effects from use of sulbutiamine:

"Intermittent use is very motivating. Gets me up and going but that feeling goes away with consistent dosing." [15]

Another redditor reported these peculiar effects:

"I've taken sulbutiamine here and there for the past year or so. Over this time period I've noticed it completely 'cures' my speech issue. This issue is something that I've been dealing with in the past 3 years or so. It's hard to describe, but at times I struggle to speak properly. It almost feels like my tongue is not 'synced up' to my brain." [16]

Two other people said they had zero effects from sulbutiamine when they used it [17].

And finally, one redditor reported that it helped them get into the state of "flow" and was effective both when sleep-deprived and when well-rested [18].

Studies

Studies conducted on the effects of Sulbutiamine in healthy humans

Last updated Saturday, June 10, 2023