← All supplements
Limited evidenceGut health

Trikatu

An Ayurvedic mix of black pepper, long pepper and ginger used as a digestive and as a bioenhancer. Its human evidence amounts to reviews and a trial that so far exists only as a published protocol.

Where to buy

View on iHerb

Ships to 180+ countries · welcome discount for new customers

Referral link — this site may earn a commission on purchases.

What the science says

  • Digestive and flu-like illness use Limited evidence

    A narrative review of Trikatu for flu-like illness collected traditional and preclinical support but identified no controlled clinical trial. The digestive use rests on tradition rather than data.

  • Enhancing absorption of other compounds Limited evidence

    The rationale is that its piperine content increases absorption of other substances, an effect demonstrated for curcumin in human volunteers. That finding belongs to isolated piperine and has not been shown for the Trikatu formula itself.

  • Metabolic effects Limited evidence

    A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in dyslipidaemia has been registered and its protocol published, but no results are available yet. Earlier work is limited to network pharmacology and animal models.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseTraditional dose is 250–1000 mg of the powder with meals. No trial-established dose exists.
SafetyPeppery and irritating: heartburn, gastritis and worsening reflux or ulcers are the main issues. Piperine raises blood levels of many drugs, a real interaction risk with anything that has a narrow safety margin. Avoid in pregnancy and with active peptic ulcers.

How to take it

TimingWith meals, which is how it is traditionally used.
With food?With food — it is a digestive spice blend, and on an empty stomach it causes heartburn and gastritis.
Worth knowingTake any prescription medicine several hours away from it; the same piperine that makes trikatu useful also makes drug levels unpredictable.

Interactions

With medications

  • phenytoin, ciclosporin, some statins and other drugs with a narrow safety margin

    Piperine inhibits CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein and has been shown in humans to raise phenytoin exposure, so blood levels of many drugs rise. do not combine with narrow-margin drugs without a pharmacist's review

With other supplements

  • any supplement taken at the same time

    Piperine raises the absorption of whatever is in the gut alongside it, including things you did not intend to boost. take medicines and narrow-margin supplements at a different time of day

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Does trikatu help digestion?

Trikatu's digestive use rests on tradition: reviews found no controlled clinical trial, so the evidence is limited.

Does trikatu increase absorption of other supplements?

That is the rationale, but it is shown only for isolated piperine, which raised curcumin absorption in human volunteers. The trikatu formula itself has not been tested for this, so the evidence is limited.

Is trikatu safe with medications?

Take care: piperine in trikatu inhibits CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein and has raised phenytoin exposure in humans, so do not combine it with narrow-margin drugs such as phenytoin or ciclosporin without a pharmacist's review. Take prescription medicines several hours away from trikatu.

How much trikatu should I take?

The traditional dose of trikatu is 250–1000 mg of powder with meals; no trial has established a dose. On an empty stomach it causes heartburn and gastritis, and it should be avoided with active peptic ulcers.

Scientific references

Related in Gut health

Herbal medicines: what the evidence says (335)