Best Mucuna Pruriens Supplements (and How to Take Them for Maximum Bioavailability)

Mucuna pruriens contains levodopa, a dopamine precursor. Levodopa is best known for treating Parkinson’s disease but has many other health benefits which range from treating depression to reducing wrinkles.

Because it has so many health benefits, there are numerous mucuna pruriens supplements available. As expected with any natural remedy, not all of these mucuna pruriens supplements are created equally.

Here is what you need to look for when choosing a mucuna pruriens supplement, how to take them to increase bioavailability (absorption) and a list of the best mucuna pruriens supplements available.

Quick Pick: Lyfetrition Mucuna Pruriens
Why? It is Made in USA by a reputable company, third-party tested and their formula features potent, plant-based ingredients like Mucuna pruriens (Seed) Extract and L-Dopa (Levodopa) 99%, yet is still very affordable.

 

How to Choose a Mucuna Pruriens Supplement

When looking at which mucuna pruriens supplement to buy, there are five many factors to consider: form, levodopa content, processing method, third-party testing and cost.

 

Mucuna Pruriens Supplement Forms

Powders:

This is the most common form of mucuna pruriens supplements.  It is made by drying the seeds and then grinding them into a powder.  Sometimes the powder is put into a capsule.  Powders typically contain 4-6% levodopa content.  They are the cheapest option but not the most potent.

 

Powdered Extracts (Not Recommended)

True extracts are made by first soaking the plant in a liquid solvent.  The active ingredients dissolve into the liquid.  Then the liquid portion is evaporated, leaving behind a powder containing a high concentration of the active ingredients.

Unfortunately, a lot of mucuna pruriens “extracts” are not true extracts.  They are often just dried powders which may have been dehydrated further.  Manufacturers will then advertise these products as having a “5:1 concentration” or even a “20:1 concentration.”

Further, extracts of mucuna pruriens aren’t recommended because the extraction process can actually reduce levels of levodopa – especially if alcohol or heat is used.

There are some methods of extracting mucuna pruriens which preserve levodopa (such as using ascorbic acid during extraction or microwave assisted extraction).  But, unless the extract is standardized (see below) or the company is very open about the methods it uses, there is no way of knowing how much levodopa is actually in the supplement.

 

Standardized Extracts

Standardized mucuna pruriens extracts have been made with a true extraction process and are tested for potency.   These supplements guarantee a specific amount of levodopa content, usually around 10% (which is twice as potent as most mucuna pruriens supplements).

The downside is that standardized mucuna pruriens extracts are pricier.  However, because they are usually twice as potent, it is arguably worth paying twice the price for them compared with powdered forms.

 

Tinctures (Not Recommended)

Mucuna pruriens tinctures are made by soaking the seeds in a solvent, such as glycerin or alcohol.  Healthy compounds dissolve into the solvent.  The seeds are strained, leaving behind a highly-potent liquid.

While tinctures are very good at dissolving antioxidants, they may not be as effective when it comes to dissolving levodopa.

 

Levodopa Content

Standardized mucuna pruriens supplements will list how much levodopa they contain.   Some brands will also test their mucuna pruriens powders for levodopa content.  Mucuna pruriens typically contains 5% levodopa naturally. With this in mind, anything above 15% should be considered a high levodopa content.

 

Raw vs. Roasted vs. Boiled Mucuna Pruriens Powder

With many natural remedies, you should choose the raw form.  This is because heat can degrade the healthy compounds in the plant.  However, this is NOT the case with mucuna pruriens.  Powders made from roasted mucuna pruriens are the best choice.

The reason for this is because mucuna pruriens seeds contain many antinutrients such as phytic acid and tannins.  These antinutrients can interfere with the absorption of nutrients in the body.

Roasting helps break down these antinutrients.  Further, research shows that roasted and raw mucuna pruriens have similar levodopa content (5.29% versus 5.3%).   In other words, you aren’t losing any levodopa by choosing a roasted mucuna pruriens powder but are getting fewer antinutrients. On top of that, roasted mucuna pruriens is also safer from a hygienic point of view and is easier to standardize.

However, you should avoid boiled mucuna pruriens. Research shows that, while it does reduce antinutrient content, boiling decreases levodopa content in mucuna pruriens by as much as 70%.  Thus, any boiled mucuna pruriens product is going to be less potent.

 

Country of Origin Doesn’t Matter (Much)

Mucuna pruriens is found in many parts of the world including India, China, the Caribbean and parts of Africa.

In terms of potency, country of origin doesn’t matter: an analysis of mucuna pruriens from different countries found contain similar amounts of levodopa worldwide.

However, country of origin can matter when it comes to purity.  You don’t want mucuna pruriens which was grown in areas where there are toxins in the soil, for example.  This is why buying from a reputable brand which does third-party testing is important.

 

Third-Party Testing

The best brands of mucuna pruriens will send their products to outside laboratories for testing.  This helps ensure their products are free of contaminants like heavy metals.  Because each batch has to be tested separately, you usually have to request the test results from the company directly.   Unfortunately, this testing does add to the cost of the supplement.

 

Cost

When looking at the cost of mucuna pruriens supplements, make sure to factor in the amount of L-dopa in the supplement.  For example, if two supplements may cost the same, the one with the higher L-dopa content will be the better value.

 

How to Take Mucuna Pruriens (for Maximum Bioavailability)

If you want to get the most of your mucuna pruriens supplement, you should make sure you are taking it to maximize bioavailability – or doing things which can increase the absorption of the levodopa in the supplement.

 

Take with a Fat

The L-dopa in mucuna pruriens is a fat-soluble compound, meaning it dissolves in fat. Consuming mucuna pruriens with a source of healthy fats, such as nuts, seeds, or avocado, may improve its absorption and bioavailability.

Taking L-Dopa with a meal that contains some fat can increase its absorption and bioavailability. This is because the fat in the meal can help solubilize and transport L-Dopa across the gastrointestinal tract.

 

Also Take with Black Pepper

Black pepper contains piperine, a compound that has been shown to increase bioavailability of many healthy compounds – including the levodopa in mucuna pruriens.

Piperine inhibits certain enzymes in the liver and gut that break down levodopa, allowing more of it to be absorbed and utilized by the body.  By inhibiting the breakdown of levodopa, its health benefits can also last for a longer period of time.

Further, piperine enhances the integrity of the intestinal lining, which allows for greater absorption of levodopa into the bloodstream.

 

Avoid High-Protein Meals

Consuming mucuna pruriens with a high-protein meal may reduce its absorption and bioavailability. This is because protein can compete with L-dopa for absorption in the small intestine. To enhance its bioavailability, take mucuna pruriens with a low-protein meal.