Berberine is a natural alkaloid. It is found in a wide variety of traditional medicinal herbs such as tree turmeric, goldenseal, golden thread, and barberry.

It comes from India and China, where it was first used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medical treatments.

An alkaloid is a class of organic compounds of plant origin. The berberine alkaloid contains mainly nitrogen atoms. These have pronounced physiological effects in humans, especially with regards to metabolic and cardiovascular health.

Two herbs, Coptidis Rhizoma and Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex, in which berberine is the main active ingredient, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years to treat diabetes, bacterial gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and other digestive diseases.

Many claims have been made about the efficacy of berberine as a remedy for a variety of diseases. But how many of these are based on evidence, and how many are illusions?

There is good evidence that berberine possesses antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties and can lower blood glucose and blood pressure.

Other claims are less supported by evidence … it claims that it inhibits the growth of cancers, is beneficial in treating osteoporosis, improves digestion problems, burns and bacterial infections, etc.

More research is needed.

Proven health benefits of berberine

Berberine provides health benefits for several medical conditions that are supported by good clinical research. The former will be of interest to people with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Berberine helps diabetics

A study published in the US National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health in August 1981 found that berberine helps lower blood glucose levels.

Another study from the same source published in February 2019 found that berberine has positive effects on glucose-lipid metabolism, inflammatory factors, and insulin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome.

The deciding factor was another study published by the journal Metabolism in May 2008 that compared taking berberine to taking metformin for three months. The researchers found that berberine could control blood glucose and lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetics as effectively as metformin.

Another study published in March 2012 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed that berberine may improve insulin sensitivity by inhibiting fat storage in patients with metabolic syndrome. This implies that berberine can help prevent kidney damage.

Effects of berberine on cholesterol and blood pressure

There is good evidence that berberine can help reduce high levels of LDL, total cholesterol, and blood pressure.

The same study mentioned above on berberine and glucose control, published in the journal Metabolism in May 2008, found that berberine lowered serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in type 2 diabetics.

Another study that combined the administration of red yeast rice (known to lower cholesterol levels) with berberine, published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine in 2015, found that berberine provides a broader range of protection against cholesterol. with a reduced risk of serious diseases. side effects compared to statins (the prescription drug generally used to control cholesterol).

An animal study titled Effect of berberine on promoting cholesterol excretion in hyperlipidemic hamsters induced by a high-fat diet, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine in August 2015, found that berberine could reduce abnormally high concentrations. of fats and lipids in the blood by promoting the excretion of cholesterol from the liver and inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines.

Studies have also found that berberine can improve blood pressure levels and circulation among people with metabolic syndrome when consumed with a healthy diet rich in antioxidants or supplements such as folic acid, coenzyme Q10, and astaxanthin.

Berberine supports heart health

Berberine has a positive effect on heart health. This is likely due to its ability to help keep blood glucose levels and obesity under control … thereby mitigating the risk of coronary heart disease.

It also protects against arteriosclerosis by stimulating the release of nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that relaxes the arteries, thereby reducing blood pressure and increasing blood flow.

A study published in the World Journal of Cardiology in April 2010 reported that people who took berberine had better heart function and were better able to exercise than those who received a placebo.

Berberine helps you lose weight

Berberine may have a moderate effect on weight loss.

AMPK (adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase) is an enzyme within human cells that plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism. Therefore, it is often called a “metabolic master switch.”

Berberine is one of the few compounds capable of activating AMPK. Activation increases fat burning in the mitochondria … this is why several studies have shown that berberine can prevent fat accumulation and protect against metabolic syndrome.

In one such study, published in Phytomedicine in July 2012, obese adults were given 500 mg of berberine by mouth three times a day for 12 weeks. This study showed that berberine is a potent lipid-lowering compound and that it has a moderate effect on weight loss.

Berberine can help control SIBO

People with SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) have an excess of bacteria in the small intestine. The condition is usually treated with oral antibiotics, but not always with success.

A study published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine in May 2014 found that an herbal treatment that included berberine worked as well as antibiotics in treating SIBO and was just as safe.

Potential benefits of berberine

The potential benefits of berberine refer to benefits for which there is some clinical evidence, but that evidence is not strong enough or not enough to show a particular benefit.

Here are some of these benefits:

Cognitive impairment … human studies suggest that berberine has potential therapeutic value against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and neurodegeneration due to trauma. Animal studies suggest that it can also help fight depression.

Anticancer Effects … Berberine may help induce apoptosis, the programmed death of cancer cells. Research at the China Medical University showed that berberine can induce apoptosis in human tongue cancer cells. Research on how berberine hydrochloride can regulate the metabolism of cancer cells, inhibiting their growth and proliferation, is ongoing.

Liver protection … early research suggests that berberine helps the liver by lowering blood sugar, insulin resistance, and triglycerides, which are markers of liver damage in people with diabetes and viruses like hepatitis. It also offers support for people with fatty liver disease. The investigation is ongoing.

Lung health … research suggests that berberine’s anti-inflammatory effects benefit lung function. In one experiment, mice were given berberine and then exposed to enough cigarette smoke to cause acute lung injury; Mice that were given the alkaloid were found to have less inflammation and less lung damage compared to mice that were exposed to the same amount of smoke but not given berberine.

How to use berberine

You should be able to find berberine as a dietary supplement in the form of berberine HCL at your local health food store … if not, you can order it online.

A natural health professional can help you determine the most appropriate dosage for you. However, the usual dose is 1,500 milligrams a day in three equal doses of 500 mg each.

It is necessary to divide the daily dose into three parts to keep the level of berberine in the blood stable, since this alkaloid has a short half-life. Another reason for dividing the daily dose is that a single large dose can cause an upset stomach, with cramps and diarrhea.

Take the supplement with your meal or right after to take advantage of berberine’s ability to flatten the spike in blood lipid and glucose levels that occurs immediately after a meal.

Note … when buying Berberine HCL, be sure not to confuse it with Berberol (a brand of another product) or Berberubin (a metabolite or a substance formed or necessary for your metabolism).

Side Effects and Risks of Taking Berberine

Berberine has an exceptional safety record. Side effects are minor and related to digestion … some stomach pain, cramps, flatulence, constipation, and diarrhea.

However, diabetics and hypertensive people should be careful if they control their condition with medications like metformin or statins … as berberine can naturally lower blood glucose and blood pressure, and could lead to hypoglycemia.

If you are thinking of taking the berberine supplement long-term, that is, for more than three months, you should consult your doctor.

Lactating and pregnant women should also seek the advice of their family physician before taking a berberine supplement.