Berberine benefits: what this ancient herb does for blood sugar and more

TL;DR: Berberine is a natural phytotherapeutic used in traditional Chinese medicine for millennia. As a modern supplement, it can help regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, support weight loss, improve gut microbiota, and protect the brain. The typical dose is 500 mg, three times a day, 30 minutes before meals, but always talk to your doctor first.

In this piece, you will learn about the benefits of berberine and why you should use it. Have you ever heard this name? Widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for millennia, berberine is used today as a supplement and can help regulate blood sugar and improve heart health.

Berberine is a natural phytotherapeutic extracted from the roots, stalks, rhizomes, and bark of Phellodendron chinense and Rhizoma coptidis. Easily found as a capsule supplement, berberine has the following benefits.

Does berberine improve gut health?

Berberine has an antimicrobial effect and inhibits the proliferation of harmful bacteria in the intestine. It also favors the multiplication of beneficial bacteria, improving intestinal transit, protecting the intestine, and producing substances that regulate glycemia.

Berberine and diabetes control

Studies in animals who took berberine supplements showed that this phytotherapeutic helped in the production of a molecule that carries sugar from blood to the inside of cells, lowering glycemia. It works similarly to some medications used in diabetes control, and berberine can be used to potentialize this effect. Talk to your doctor to learn the right way of using berberine.

Studies show that berberine can potentialize the hypoglycemiant effect of these medications. However, we can’t say for sure that berberine is as efficient as, or more than, metformin, the most used medication for diabetic people. If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor beforehand.

Can berberine help with weight loss?

Berberine increases the cells’ energy production, stimulating both fat burning and fat distribution in the body.

What berberine does for cholesterol

Besides helping with weight loss, berberine also has good results in the reduction of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, helping prevent cardiovascular diseases. When combined with medication and a balanced diet, it also helps increase HDL, the good cholesterol.

Berberine and brain health

Thanks to its potent anti-inflammatory effect, berberine protects the brain against issues like memory loss and Alzheimer’s and reduces the after-effects of stroke in the brain cells.

How to take berberine

Generally, the recommended dose is 500 mg of berberine 3 times a day, always 30 minutes before the main meals. However, the treatment can be done with up to 1,500 mg of berberine before each meal. Talk to your doctor and nutritionist before starting.

Who should avoid berberine

Berberine is safe for consumption but, in excess, it can have side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and gas. It is contraindicated to pregnant and nursing women as it can cause changes in the uterine structure and can be passed through breast milk.

Besides these benefits, other studies are being done with berberine about its use against cancer and blood pressure control.

A gentle closing thought

Berberine is one of those plants that has been quietly helping people for thousands of years and is only now showing up in the supplement aisle. Used well, with a doctor’s eye on it, it can touch several systems at once. Used carelessly, it’s still a real compound with real interactions, so don’t wing it. If you like grounded, tradition-meets-research writing like this, the newsletter goes out every Friday.

Frequently asked questions

What is berberine?

Berberine is a natural phytotherapeutic extracted from the roots, stalks, rhizomes, and bark of Phellodendron chinense and Rhizoma coptidis. Widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for millennia, it is used today as a supplement and can help regulate blood sugar and improve heart health.

How does berberine help with blood sugar?

Studies in animals who took berberine supplements showed that this phytotherapeutic helped in the production of a molecule that carries sugar from blood to the inside of cells, lowering glycemia. It works similarly to some medications used in diabetes control. Berberine can also potentialize the hypoglycemiant effect of these medications, so if you have diabetes, talk to your doctor beforehand.

What is the recommended dose of berberine?

Generally, the recommended dose is 500 mg of berberine 3 times a day, always 30 minutes before the main meals. However, the treatment can be done with up to 1,500 mg of berberine before each meal. Talk to your doctor and nutritionist before starting.

Who should not take berberine?

Berberine is contraindicated to pregnant and nursing women as it can cause changes in the uterine structure and can be passed through breast milk. In excess, it can also have side effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and gas.

Is berberine as good as metformin?

We can’t say for sure that berberine is as efficient as, or more than, metformin, the most used medication for diabetic people. If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor beforehand.