Ingredient Reference
Pterostilbene: Chemistry, Absorption, Studied Amounts and Safety
A reference on the molecule: where it is found, how it is absorbed compared with resveratrol, the amounts used in human trials, safety notes and regulatory status.
Explore NAD+ SupportPterostilbene on the Label
Exactly how much pterostilbene is in our product, straight from the label.
How to use it (label directions): two capsules in the morning, with or without food. Each bottle holds 30 servings. How this compares with research doses: human trials used 50 to 250 mg a day for 6 to 8 weeks, and LDL cholesterol rose in some people. Our 100 mg sits within that range. If you are watching your cholesterol, check your levels with your clinician. Use it as directed on the label.
Pterostilbene at a Glance
The core facts in one place. Each one is explained further down the page.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4'-hydroxystilbene (IUPAC: 4-[(E)-2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]phenol) |
| Formula and molar mass | C16H16O3, about 256.3 g/mol |
| CAS number | 537-42-8 |
| Compound class | Stilbene polyphenol; a dimethylated analog (dimethyl ether) of resveratrol |
| Where it occurs | Some Vaccinium berries (rabbiteye blueberry, deerberry), grapevine leaves under fungal attack, Pterocarpus marsupium heartwood |
| Oral bioavailability | About 80% in rats, against about 20% for resveratrol in the same study (animal data) |
| Amounts in human trials | 50, 100 and 250 mg a day, for 6 to 8 weeks |
| Main caution | LDL cholesterol rose in two randomized human trials |
| US status | Sold as a dietary supplement ingredient; a supplier announced an expert panel GRAS conclusion for food use in 2011 |
| In our products | 100 mg per 2 capsule serving of Enhanced NMN |
Looking for benefits? This page covers the compound itself. For what research says about brain, heart and healthy aging, read Pterostilbene Benefits for Brain, Heart & Longevity.
Structure, Chemistry and Natural Occurrence
Pterostilbene is a stilbene: two benzene rings joined by a carbon to carbon double bond. Its parent, resveratrol, carries three hydroxyl (OH) groups, at positions 3, 5 and 4'. In pterostilbene, the hydroxyls at 3 and 5 are methoxy (OCH3) groups and only the 4' hydroxyl remains, which is why it is called the dimethylated analog of resveratrol.
Those two methyl groups make the molecule more lipophilic, so it dissolves more readily in fats than in water. A 2013 review links this to the higher oral absorption seen in animal studies (McCormack and McFadden, 2013). The trans form, with the rings on opposite sides of the double bond, is the form sold as an ingredient; one supplier specification caps the cis isomer at 0.15%.
Plants make pterostilbene from resveratrol with an enzyme, resveratrol O-methyltransferase, first cloned in grapevine from mildew-infected leaves. It is a phytoalexin, a compound plants produce under attack, and usually a minor one next to resveratrol (Jeandet et al., 2023).
Where it has been measured
Vaccinium berries
A 2004 analysis of berries from ten Vaccinium species reported pterostilbene in two rabbiteye blueberry cultivars (V. ashei) and in deerberry (V. stamineum), at 99 to 520 ng per gram of dried fruit (Rimando et al., 2004).
Grapevine
Accumulates in grapevine leaves after fungal attack. Treated leaves inoculated with powdery mildew reached 16 to 21 micrograms per gram of dry weight (Jeandet et al., 2023).
Pterocarpus marsupium
The heartwood of the Indian kino tree is named with blueberries as a primary source in the 2013 review. Its extract has been given to healthy volunteers (see the research table).
What food can supply
At the highest berry level above, 0.52 micrograms per gram, it would take roughly 190 kg of dried berries to supply the 100 mg in one serving of Enhanced NMN. Studied amounts come from purified ingredients, not diet.
Absorption, Metabolism and Blood Levels
Pharmacokinetics describes what the body does to a compound: how much is absorbed, what it becomes and where it goes. For pterostilbene, the clearest numbers come from rats.
The rat study behind the 80% figure
Kapetanovic and colleagues (2011) gave rats resveratrol (50 or 150 mg/kg a day) or pterostilbene (56 or 168 mg/kg a day) by mouth for 14 days. The doses were matched mole for mole. Other groups received one intravenous dose, the reference that oral absorption is measured against. Resveratrol was about 20% bioavailable and pterostilbene about 80%.
What it is turned into
In rats, both compounds are converted to sulfate and glucuronide conjugates. After oral dosing, plasma pterostilbene and pterostilbene sulfate were far higher than resveratrol and resveratrol sulfate. Resveratrol glucuronide was higher than pterostilbene glucuronide, though by a smaller margin. More pterostilbene stayed in its original form.
Reaching tissues
A rat feeding study summarized in a 2013 review measured serum pterostilbene at about 4.0 ng/mL (low dose) and 25.6 ng/mL (high dose), with pterostilbene detected in the hippocampus only at the high dose (McCormack and McFadden, 2013).
These are animal measurements and should be quoted as such. The human trials below measured safety labs, lipids, blood pressure and blood NAD+, not pterostilbene blood levels.
Practical note: because pterostilbene is fat soluble, some people take it with a meal that contains fat. Our label directions are two capsules in the morning, with or without food.
Pterostilbene vs Resveratrol
The two are close chemical relatives, but they are not interchangeable, and the data behind each differ. This table sticks to measurable points.
| Feature | Pterostilbene | Resveratrol |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical name | trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4'-hydroxystilbene | trans-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene |
| Formula and molar mass | C16H16O3, about 256.3 g/mol | C14H12O3, about 228.2 g/mol |
| Free hydroxyl groups | One (plus two methoxy groups) | Three |
| Fat solubility | Higher | Lower |
| Oral bioavailability in rats (same study) | About 80% | About 20% |
| Main plasma forms in rats after oral dosing | Parent compound and its sulfate at high levels | Lower parent levels; relatively more glucuronide |
| Human trials cited on this page | Two randomized trials: one of pterostilbene alone or with grape extract, one combined with nicotinamide riboside | Covered in our resveratrol ingredient guide |
| Amounts in those trials | 50 to 250 mg a day for 6 to 8 weeks | See the resveratrol guide |
| Per serving of Enhanced NMN | 100 mg | 200 mg |
Because Enhanced NMN contains both, one serving supplies 300 mg of stilbenes in total: 100 mg pterostilbene and 200 mg resveratrol. Keep that in mind if you also take a separate resveratrol or pterostilbene product.
Ingredient Forms and What a Label Should List
The form on the label changes what else you are taking.
High purity trans-pterostilbene
The common form, specified at above 99% trans-pterostilbene. At least one supplier makes it by a chemical route and sells it as nature identical, the same molecule as the plant compound.
Co-crystals
Pterostilbene and a second molecule locked into one crystal. Lab co-crystals with caffeine reached water concentrations about 27 times higher than pterostilbene alone at 5 hours (Schultheiss et al., 2010). A caffeine co-crystal is marketed as an ingredient, so that form also delivers caffeine.
With nicotinamide riboside
Some combination products pair pterostilbene with nicotinamide riboside (NR), an NAD+ precursor. The tested combination used 250 mg NR with 50 mg pterostilbene, or 500 mg NR with 100 mg pterostilbene, a day (Dellinger et al., 2017).
With NMN and resveratrol
Our Enhanced NMN pairs 100 mg pterostilbene with NMN 750 mg, TMG 200 mg, resveratrol 200 mg and methyl B12 750 mcg per 2 capsule serving.
What a pterostilbene label should tell you:
- The amount of pterostilbene itself per serving, in milligrams, not only the weight of a blend or extract.
- The form: pterostilbene or trans-pterostilbene, a named co-crystal, or a plant extract with its standardized pterostilbene content.
- For a caffeine co-crystal, the caffeine per serving, so you can count it with coffee and other sources.
- Every other active ingredient and its amount, so you can total stilbenes (pterostilbene plus resveratrol) across products.
- Serving size, servings per container and directions, as on our label above.
The Human Research, Study by Study
Who was studied, at what amount, for how long, what was measured and what was found.
| Study | Who | Amount a day | Length | Measured | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riche et al., 2013 (safety report) | 80 adults with high cholesterol (total cholesterol 200 mg/dL or more, or LDL 100 mg/dL or more); average age 54 | 250 mg (125 mg twice daily), 100 mg (50 mg twice daily), 100 mg plus grape extract, or placebo | 6 to 8 weeks | Liver, kidney and glucose labs; reported side effects | No adverse effects on liver, kidney or glucose markers; no significant self-reported side effects. 91% completed. |
| Riche et al., 2014 (same trial, metabolic report) | Same 80 adults | Same four groups | 6 to 8 weeks (average 52 days) | LDL, HDL, triglycerides, blood pressure, body weight | LDL rose by 17.1 mg/dL with pterostilbene alone (both doses combined); no significant rise with grape extract. At 250 mg, systolic pressure fell 7.8 mmHg and diastolic 7.3 mmHg. Triglycerides did not change. |
| Dellinger et al., 2017 (NRPT) | 120 healthy adults aged 60 to 80 | 50 mg pterostilbene with 250 mg NR, 100 mg pterostilbene with 500 mg NR, or placebo | 8 weeks | Whole blood NAD+, safety labs, lipids, side effects | NAD+ rose about 40% (lower dose) and about 90% at day 30, then 55% at day 60 (higher dose). LDL rose more than placebo in both groups by day 60. No serious adverse events. |
| Pterocarpus marsupium extract, reported in McCormack and McFadden, 2013 | Healthy volunteers | 450 mg of extract | Not stated in the review | Signs of toxicity | No signs of toxicity reported. |
Reading the table
The first two rows are one trial reported in two papers. The NRPT trial tested pterostilbene only with nicotinamide riboside, so its NAD+ result belongs to the combination. The extract row tested a plant extract, not purified pterostilbene.
Lab and animal research, kept separate
Most other pterostilbene research is in cells and animals, where it has been studied for antioxidant enzyme signaling (Nrf2), sirtuin and AMPK signaling, and inflammatory signaling (McCormack and McFadden, 2013). The human trials above measured different outcomes. We summarize that work in Pterostilbene Benefits for Brain, Heart & Longevity.
Amounts Used in Human Trials
Every human amount on this page, lowest to highest, with how it was given.
Rat studies used much larger amounts per kilogram of body weight. Those doses are for measuring absorption and do not translate directly to people.
The 2013 safety report concluded pterostilbene is generally safe in humans at up to 250 mg a day, the top amount in that trial. The 100 mg in a serving of Enhanced NMN matches the 100 mg a day groups in both randomized trials.
Tolerability, Lipids and Medications
Side effects reported in trials
In the 80 person trial, no significant side effects were reported and liver, kidney and glucose labs showed no adverse changes at up to 250 mg a day. In the NRPT trial, side effect rates did not differ significantly between groups. Events judged possibly related were one case of mild nausea at the lower dose and, at the higher dose, single cases of fatigue, headache, indigestion, abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. There were no serious adverse events.
The LDL cholesterol caution, with numbers: animal studies often report better lipid profiles with pterostilbene, but the two randomized human trials point the other way for LDL.
- Riche et al., 2014: LDL rose by 17.1 mg/dL with pterostilbene alone, across the 100 and 250 mg a day groups combined. Among people not on cholesterol medication, HDL fell by 5.03 mg/dL at 250 mg a day. People already on cholesterol medication showed a smaller LDL rise.
- Dellinger et al., 2017: by day 60, LDL rose 0.48 mmol/L (about 19 mg/dL) with 100 mg pterostilbene plus 500 mg NR, and 0.24 mmol/L with 50 mg plus 250 mg NR, against 0.10 mmol/L with placebo. Starting cholesterol differed between groups, which the authors note makes the result harder to read.
If you take pterostilbene, get a fasting lipid panel before you start and again after 6 to 8 weeks, and share the results with your clinician.
Medications and other products
Because the trials measured changes in LDL and blood pressure, talk with your clinician first if you take cholesterol-lowering or blood pressure medication. Count the caffeine in a co-crystal form, and add up stilbenes across products.
Who should check with a clinician before using pterostilbene: anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18 (the trials enrolled adults), with high LDL or a history of heart or blood vessel problems or stroke, or managing a chronic condition or taking several prescription drugs. Nothing on this page is medical advice or a substitute for care from your own clinician.
Regulatory Status
United States
Pterostilbene is legally sold as a dietary supplement ingredient in the US. Supplement labels may describe how an ingredient supports normal structure or function and may not make drug claims, which is why this page reports what studies measured.
GRAS for food use
In June 2011, the supplier ChromaDex announced that an independent scientific panel had concluded its pterostilbene ingredient is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in foods and beverages, with an acceptable daily intake stated as up to 30 mg per kg of body weight a day. That is an expert panel conclusion for that supplier's ingredient, a different step from filing a GRAS notice with FDA.
Why Synchronicity Health Includes Pterostilbene
On our label, pterostilbene appears in Enhanced NMN at 100 mg per serving, next to NMN, TMG, resveratrol and methyl B12. That amount sits inside the human trial range and below the 250 mg a day top dose.
In our formula, pterostilbene sits next to NAD+ precursors; our cellular energy guide explains how they fit together. If you are weighing NAD+ itself rather than a precursor, see the NAD+ ingredient guide and our NAD+ nasal spray.
Key Takeaways
- Chemistry: pterostilbene is trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4'-hydroxystilbene, resveratrol with two hydroxyls swapped for methoxy groups.
- Food: nanogram per gram levels in some blueberry relatives, far below studied amounts.
- Absorption: in rats, about 80% of an oral dose was bioavailable against about 20% for resveratrol.
- Human trials: 50 to 250 mg a day for 6 to 8 weeks, alone or with nicotinamide riboside, with good tolerability.
- Caution: LDL cholesterol rose in both randomized trials. Check your lipids.
- Our label: 100 mg per 2 capsule serving of Enhanced NMN, alongside 200 mg resveratrol.
Know the Molecule, Read the Label.
Pterostilbene is a well characterized molecule with strong animal absorption data and human trials that report amounts, tolerability and lipid changes. Know the amount you take, count every stilbene in your routine and check your lipids.
Pterostilbene FAQ
What is pterostilbene?
Pterostilbene is a stilbene polyphenol, trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4'-hydroxystilbene (C16H16O3). It is a dimethylated analog of resveratrol found in some blueberry relatives, grapevine leaves and Pterocarpus marsupium heartwood. Supplements use a purified trans form.
How is pterostilbene different from resveratrol?
Pterostilbene has two methoxy groups where resveratrol has hydroxyl groups, which makes it more fat soluble. In a rat study, about 80% of an oral pterostilbene dose was bioavailable against about 20% for resveratrol. That is animal data.
How much pterostilbene has been studied in people?
Randomized human trials used 50, 100 and 250 mg a day for 6 to 8 weeks, alone, with grape extract or with nicotinamide riboside. The safety report from one trial concluded it is generally safe at up to 250 mg a day.
Does pterostilbene raise cholesterol?
LDL cholesterol rose in two randomized trials: by 17.1 mg/dL with pterostilbene alone at 100 to 250 mg a day, and by more than placebo when combined with nicotinamide riboside. Check a fasting lipid panel before starting and after 6 to 8 weeks, and talk with your clinician if you take cholesterol medication.
How much pterostilbene is in Enhanced NMN?
Each 2 capsule serving of Enhanced NMN contains 100 mg pterostilbene, with NMN 750 mg, TMG 200 mg, resveratrol 200 mg and methyl B12 750 mcg. Label directions are two capsules in the morning, with or without food.
Can you get pterostilbene from food?
Only in tiny amounts. A berry analysis found 99 to 520 ng per gram of dried fruit in the blueberry relatives that contained it, far below the amounts used in trials.
More on Pterostilbene
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Related guides
Sources
- Kapetanovic IM, et al. Pharmacokinetics, oral bioavailability, and metabolic profile of resveratrol and its dimethylether analog, pterostilbene, in rats. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 2011. PubMed 21116625
- McCormack D, et al. A review of pterostilbene antioxidant activity and disease modification. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2013. PubMed 23691264
- Riche DM, et al. Analysis of safety from a human clinical trial with pterostilbene. Journal of Toxicology, 2013. PubMed 23431291
- Riche DM, et al. Pterostilbene on metabolic parameters: a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014. PubMed 25057276
- Dellinger RW, et al. Repeat dose NRPT (nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene) increases NAD+ levels in humans safely and sustainably: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. npj Aging and Mechanisms of Disease, 2017. DOI 10.1038/s41514-017-0016-9
- Rimando AM, et al. Resveratrol, pterostilbene, and piceatannol in Vaccinium berries. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2004. PubMed 15264904
- Jeandet P, et al. Use of elicitors and beneficial bacteria to induce and prime the stilbene phytoalexin response: applications to grapevine disease resistance. Agronomy, 2023. DOI 10.3390/agronomy13092225
- Schultheiss N, et al. Nutraceutical cocrystals: utilizing pterostilbene as a cocrystal former. CrystEngComm, 2010. DOI 10.1039/C002045A
- Laurus Labs. Pterostilbene ingredient flyer (manufacturing route, purity and isomer specification). lauruslabs.com
- Jain R. Letter on a pterostilbene and caffeine co-crystal ingredient. Matrix Science Medica. lauruslabs.com
- NutraIngredients. ChromaDex gets GRAS status for pterostilbene ingredient. June 2011. nutraingredients.com
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Nothing here is medical advice. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication (especially cholesterol-lowering medication), preparing for surgery, or managing a health condition, consult a qualified healthcare professional before use.
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