Berberine
A plant extract that has been extensively studied for its effects on blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and is often mistakenly described as a ‘natural Ozempic’.
Benefits
- Lowers fasting blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin in type 2 diabetes, with an effect comparable to that of metformin in one trial (meta-analysis of 46 trials)
- Reduces total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, and increases HDL (16 randomised trials)
- Reduces liver fat in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease — more effective than pioglitazone in terms of weight loss in 184 patients
- Reduces diarrhoea, abdominal pain and urgency associated with irritable bowel syndrome (196 patients, 8 weeks)
Precautions
Numerous drug interactions: berberine inhibits liver enzymes that break down many medicines. Medical advice is essential if you are taking any medication, particularly antidiabetic or anticoagulant drugs. Not recommended during pregnancy or whilst breastfeeding. Digestive problems and constipation are common. Also worth noting: its effect appears to diminish after 90 days of use, and the authors of the meta-analyses emphasise that the quality of the available trials remains limited. It is not a ‘natural Ozempic’: no trial has shown comparable weight loss.
Recommended dosage
500 mg two to three times a day, with meals. Oral absorption is poor, which explains why the dose is divided into several smaller doses.
What the studies say
Une étude pilote a évalué l'efficacité et la sécurité de la berbérine chez 36 patients nouvellement diagnostiqués et 48 patients mal contrôlés atteints de diabète de type 2. L'administration orale de berbérine a réduit significativement la glycémie à jeun, post-prandiale, l'HbA1c, ainsi que les triglycérides, le cholestérol total et le LDL-cholestérol. Elle a également amélioré la sensibilité à l'insuline. Bien que 34,5% des patients aient eu des effets gastro-intestinaux transitoires, aucun dommage hépatique ou rénal n'a été observé, suggérant que la berbérine est un agent hypoglycémiant oral potentiellement utile.
Yin J, Xing H, Ye J. — Metabolism: clinical and experimental (2008) — View the source study
For information only: not a substitute for medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a replacement for a varied, balanced diet. Learn more