Sub-chronic toxicity of berberine has reported to damages lung and liver by increasing alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), significantly (Ning et al., 2015).
Berberine is generally safe and well-tolerated and does not cause severe kidney or liver injuries when taken for at least three months. However, some patients may experience nausea and vomiting, which can be corrected when you stop taking the supplement.
The standard dose of berberine is 900-2,000mg a day, divided into three to four doses. Berberine should be taken with a meal, or shortly after, to take advantage of the blood glucose and lipid spike associated with eating. Too much berberine at once can result in stomach upset, cramping, and diarrhea.
When taken by mouth: Berberine is possibly safe for most adults. It's been used safely in doses up to 1.5 grams daily for 6 months. Common side effects include diarrhea, constipation, gas, and upset stomach. When applied to the skin: Berberine is possibly safe for most adults when used short-term.
The mechanism for berberine extract is very unclear. For decades it has been a well-researched herbal treatment for intestinal infections, like Giardia, but it came with the warning to avoid long-term use due to the potential undesirable and antimicrobial effect in the gut.
Research has suggested that berberine can help treat diabetes, obesity, and inflammation, among other conditions. However, side effects can include upset stomach and nausea. Berberine has been a part of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.
Typical side effects for a healthy individual with no medical conditions may include diarrhea, constipation, gas and upset stomach. Berberine can cross the placenta and may cause harm to the fetus. Kernicterus, a type of brain damage, has developed in newborn infants exposed to it.
When taken by mouth: Berberine is possibly safe for most adults. It's been used safely in doses up to 1.5 grams daily for 6 months. Common side effects include diarrhea, constipation, gas, and upset stomach. When applied to the skin: Berberine is possibly safe for most adults when used short-term.
Results: Administration of BBR significantly inhibited histological damage to the pancreas and lung and decreased serum level of amylase and lipase, myeloperoxidase activity, cytokine production, and the mortality rate.
How long should I take berberine? Continual use of berberine can impact cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in the liver which may affect drug-to-drug interactions. Therefore, it's recommended to use it in a pulsed 8-week cycle with two to four weeks off, then starting again if symptoms have not resolved.
Can berberine damage the liver? Berberine may help prevent certain types of liver injury and is not frequently associated with liver damage. Berberine's effects on metabolism may improve liver function, prevent liver inflammation, and help treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Standard doses of berberine are generally well tolerated and eventual adverse events are rare and mild. On the contrary, high doses have been associated with arterial hypotension, dyspnea, flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal discomfort, constipation, and cardiac damage.
Berberine ameliorates chronic kidney disease through inhibiting the production of gut-derived uremic toxins in the gut microbiota - ScienceDirect.
Berberine in the concentrations from 0.0025 mg/ml to 0.025 mg/ml has no cytotoxic effects, whereas DNA damages in concentration more than 0.025 mg/ml has been observed. Berberine in concentrations higher than 0.1 mg/ml changes the structure of L929 cells and induces ROS formation and apoptosis.
Emerging research suggests that berberine is beneficial for balancing hormones, especially when it comes to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Berberine provides numerous benefits for women living with PCOS, including improved fertility, weight loss, and reduced inflammation.
The recommended dosage of berberine is 500 mg three times a day. It should be taken half an hour before meals.
It has been used throughout history in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal infections in humans, such as bacterial diarrhea, notably due to antibacterial properties. Berberine has been shown to promote epithelial barrier integrity and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (1, 2).
Berberine protects the liver and kidneys against ferrous sulfate-induced toxicity by reduction in lipid peroxidation and ability to chelate iron.
Berberine may have side effects with medicines used to treat diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, blood thinners like warfarin or medicines that cause drowsiness or sedation. Caution is warranted with coadministration of potentially toxic medicines such as cyclosporine.
Research shows that berberine may lower lipid levels. Studies focusing on berberine and heart health also show that the supplement can raise good (HDL) cholesterol while lowering total cholesterol, bad (LDL) cholesterol and blood triglycerides.
Friedman experiences that berberine is quite well tolerated and probably better than metformin and works equally well if not better to lower the hemoglobin A1c in patients with prediabetes or early diabetes and also has the bonus of lowering cholesterol and has some anti-inflammatory and immune supporting properties.
Findings revealed that treatment of 300 mg of Berberine three times a day for 12 weeks resulted in a significant reduction of 5.2 cm in waist circumference. Berberine has the potential to reduce belly fat after 12 weeks of treatment. Significantly, all participants did not change their lifestyle during the study.
Berberine reduces methylation of the MTTP promoter and alleviates fatty liver induced by a high-fat diet in rats. J Lipid Res. 2010;51(9):2504–15. Zhang Z, Zhang H, Li B, Meng X, Wang J, Zhang Y, et al.
Some preclinical studies have shown that berberine has protected against certain aspects of Alzheimer's disease related to beta-amyloid [6], tau, and brain inflammation [11].