Benfotiamine is a lipid-soluble form of thiamine (vitamin B-1). It was developed in Japan in the early 1960's to treat alcoholic neuritis. It is the most effective metabolic precursor of active thiamine, or vitamin B1, available. Though benfotiamine is lipid-soluble, it metabolizes quickly, producing high levels of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP, the active form of thiamine), which then continues to metabolize in the body as usual. Benfotiamine itself does not accumulate in the body |