Black pepper has been shown to improve brain function in animal studies.
In particular, it has demonstrated potential benefits for symptoms associated with degenerative brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
For example, a study in mice with Alzheimer’s disease found that pepper improved memory, as the delivery of piperine enabled the mice to repeat a maze more efficiently than mice that were not given pepper.
In another rodent study, piperine extract appeared to reduce the formation of amyloid plaques, which are dense clusters of brain-damaging protein fragments that have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
However, human studies are needed to confirm whether these effects also work in humans.
