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.
Some claim the benefits are comparable to pharmaceutical medications like the blood sugar lowering drug metformin. Others take it further, asserting the research has concluded that berberine is a good treatment option to try before insulin therapy and may offer better results than metformin.
Berberine has a high risk of interfering with drugs, and some of these reactions may be severe. When high doses are used, gastrointestinal upset may occur, and because of its ability to lower blood sugar, it can increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
In some people, supplementation with berberine has been reported to cause gastrointestinal side effects, including diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, and stomach pain. Due to its ability to reduce blood sugar, berberine may increase the risk for hypoglycemia in high doses.
Research suggests that berberine could be a promising treatment for several conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. However, more research is needed to show that it is safe to use as a treatment option. Berberine is a natural remedy that could be as powerful as some prescription drugs.
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.
It was found that hypoglycemic effect of berberine is comparable to that of metformin. The level of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting and postprandial glucose decreased by 7.5%, 6.9% and 11.1% respectively at the end of the trial. Similar findings were reported in a clinical study of Zhang et al [28].
Infants, children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take berberine. Adults with type 2 diabetes who are taking diabetes medication need to speak to their doctor before trying berberine.
Despite wide scale use as an herbal supplement, berberine has not been linked to published instances of clinically apparent liver injury.
Berberine is a bitter-tasting and yellow-colored chemical. It 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.
All of this means that berberine is widely available in Australia and consumers can just buy it straight off the shelf.
Studies have shown that taking berberine for 12 months or longer is safe and well tolerated. Similarly, metformin is safe and well-tolerated with long-term use.
This study showed that berberine, a natural drug with low oral availability, significantly ameliorated chronic kidney disease by altering the composition of the gut microbiota and inhibiting the production of gut-derived uremic toxins, including p-cresol.
An effective substitute for Metformin is a compound known as berberine or berberine hydrochloride, which is obtained from many plant species, including goldenseal, barberry, Oregon grape, and turmeric.
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.
Overall, these data indicate that BBR inhibits pancreatic cancer cell viability through a mechanism that likely involves mitochondrial damage leading to decreased citrate metabolism and disruption of fatty acid biosynthesis, which has an important role in the proliferation and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells.
[12], berberine can promote the excretion of cholesterol from liver to bile and, as a result, blood lipid can be reduced.
5 Berberine Alleviates Liver Fibrosis by Modifying Lipid Metabolism. Pharmacological and clinical evidence has clearly demonstrated the efficacy of BBR in the treatment of metabolic diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hyperlipidaemia.
Berberine is a supplement that emerging research has shown can be effective in treating type 2 diabetes because of its blood-sugar-lowering properties. It's generally well tolerated and affordable, and it can be effective for some people, but it's not without side effects and risks.
Recent research has shown that berberine has an effect of protecting heart failure, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, arrhythmias, and platelet aggregation.
Berberine has great potential in treatment of insomnia and might have better clinical significance.
In this randomized crossover study, dihydroberberine was taken up by the body better than berberine. However, there was no difference in blood sugar after one dose of either supplement. This Study Summary was published on April 4 2022.
It contains high amounts of a chemical called berberine. The chemicals in tree turmeric might reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Tree turmeric is widely used in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine.