What Is Berberine?
Berberine is a bioactive compound that can be extracted from several different plants. It has a long history of use in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for the management of various health conditions. Technically, it belongs to a class of compounds called alkaloids. Berberine is found in some plants like European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron, and tree turmeric.
Berberine might help strengthen the heartbeat, which could benefit people with certain heart conditions. It might also kill bacteria, help regulate how the body uses sugar in the blood and help reduce swelling.
How Does It Work?
Berberine appears to activate AMP-activated protein kinase, which plays a key role in regulating metabolism and energy levels and is found in the cells throughout the body.
Berberine also affects various other molecules inside cells, and may even affect which genes are turned on or off, which could help protect against many chronic conditions
A 2014 review suggests that berberine has a “harmonious distribution” into several targets in the body, which allows it to fight certain conditions while causing minimal side effects.
Many studies of berberine have indicated that it can treat several metabolic health conditions, including diabetes, obesity, and heart problems. It may also improve gut health.
What Are the Healthy Benefits of Berberine Supplements?
- Canker sores. Applying a gel containing berberine can reduce pain, redness, oozing, and the size of canker sores.
- Diabetes. Taking berberine by mouth seems to slightly reduce blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
- High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood (hyperlipidemia). Taking berberine by mouth, alone or with other ingredients, might help lower total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with high cholesterol.
- High blood pressure. Taking 0.9 grams of berberine by mouth daily along with the blood pressure-lowering drug amlodipine reduces blood pressure better than taking amlodipine alone in people with high blood pressure.
- A hormonal disorder that causes enlarged ovaries with cysts (polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS). Taking berberine by mouth might lower blood sugar, improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reduce testosterone levels, and lower waist-to-hip ratio in people with PCOS.
Does Berberine Supplement Cause A Major Reduction In BLOOD Sugar Levels
Many studies show that berberine can significantly reduce blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes). It seems to work via multiple different mechanisms and may help:
- decrease insulin resistance, making the blood sugar-lowering hormone insulin more effective
- increase glycolysis, helping the body break down sugars inside cells
- decrease sugar production in the liver
- slow the breakdown of carbohydrates in the gut
- increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut
Berberine Supplements Help You To Lower Cholesterol
Studies show that berberine reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while raising HDL (good) cholesterol. Furthermore, a study observed that berberine helps move excess cholesterol to the liver, where the body can process and remove it. This, in turn, helps lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Researchers believe that the effects of berberine might be similar to those of drugs that reduce high cholesterol, while berberine does not cause the same side effects.
May Berberine Supplements Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Disease?
Given the beneficial effects on all these risk factors, it seems likely that berberine could reduce the risk of heart disease, though more research is needed.
One older study showed that it improved symptoms and reduced the risk of death in people with heart failure
Dosage Of Berberine Supplement
A common dosage recommendation is 500 mg, three times per day, half an hour before meals. Berberine may cause digestive side effects in some people.
What Are The Side Effects Of Berberine Supplements?
Common side effects include diarrhea, constipation, gas, and upset stomach. It can also cause a rash or headache in some people.
When to Take Berberine?
The best way to take Berberine is with a meal, or shortly after, to take advantage of the blood glucose and lipid spike associated with eating
Are Berberine Supplements Safe?
When taken by mouth: Berberine is possibly safe for most adults. It’s been used safely in doses of up to 1.5 grams daily for 6 months.
Can Berberine Supplement Help Prevent Or Treat Type 2 Diabetes?
Several studies among people with type 2 diabetes have shown that taking 600–2,700 mg of berberine daily may lower fasting and long-term blood sugar levels by up to 20% and 12%, respectively, especially when taken alongside blood sugar medication. Therefore, berberine appears to be a promising blood-sugar-lowering treatment. This may be especially valuable to those who cannot take diabetes medications due to liver, kidney, or heart disease
Berberine Supplement And Blood Sugar Levels
Studies found that berberine lowered blood sugar levels and seemed to be as effective as common blood sugar medications, including metformin, rosiglitazone, and glipizide.
Furthermore, research suggests berberine may help support the blood-sugar-lowering effects of other diabetes medications when taken alongside them.
Can Berberine Supplement Damage The Liver?
Berberine has not been linked to serum enzyme elevations during therapy. Berberine appears to confer protection to liver cells in a very general manner but not overly potent. Berberine can significantly improve blood lipids and liver function in patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and has good advantage in reducing blood glucose in those patients.
Safety And Precautions Of Taking Berberine Supplement?
- Berberine may interfere with other medications, such as metformin.
- Adverse effects can occur if people take too much or if a person is susceptible.
- Taking berberine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding could have a negative impact on the fetus or newborn.
- Kernicterus, a type of brain damage, has developed in newborn infants exposed to berberine.
How to Pick A High Quality Berberine Supplement?
The best berberine supplement you can find online is CM Restore.
CM Restore is a powerful combination of berberine and alpha lipoic acid (ALA) that helps maintain heart function, metabolism, antioxidant status, and lipid and glucose levels.
How Do You Get The Best Berberine Supplements?
- CM Restore formula offers multidimensional support for cardiovascular health.
- Among their numerous benefits, berberine, and alpha lipoic acid activate the master metabolic switch, adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK).
- Activation of this powerful metabolic enzyme triggers a variety of genes that help improve metabolism, stabilize mitochondria, and enhance insulin sensitivity.
References:
- Berberine – Uses, Side Effects, and More
- Learning from Berberine: Treating chronic diseases through multiple targets
- Berberine – A Powerful Supplement with Many Benefits
- Everything you need to know about Berberine
- The Therapeutic Effect of Berberine in the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis
