Main image courtesy of Liver Doctor.
Our cardiovascular system is one of the most important processes in our bodies. After all, this is the system that keeps your heart pumping and your lungs breathing in air! We try and do our best to keep our hearts as healthy as possible, but heart disease is still the most common cause of death in the United States. While diet and exercise are great ways to keep your heart healthy and reduce the amount of plaque in your arteries, there are other ways you can work towards reducing your cholesterol and your blood pressure.
Berberine is one of the best supplements you can take for cholesterol, but it has so many more benefits as well! Want to learn a little more about berberine and how it can help your cholesterol levels? Keep reading because we’re covering:
- Berberine and its benefits (including cholesterol)
- How to take berberine for cholesterol
- Tips to keep your heart healthy
If you’re looking for nature, safe, and effective supplements that are backed by a medical doctor, look no further than Dr. Emil’s Nutrition. Here you’ll find all kinds of ways to help your body, and achieve your healthy lifestyle goals. One of the most popular supplements is his Berberine Plus, which can help your heart, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and may even help you lose some weight!
Berberine and its benefits
What is berberine and what does it do?
Have you heard about berberine? If so, you’ve probably seen the posts on social media claiming that it’s the natural way to lose weight fast. And while there are studies to show that berberine can have an effect on weight loss, that’s not the only thing this supplement is good for. Derived from plants and trees, berberine has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. The Chinese and Indian herbalists knew that this plant had the capability to reduce inflammation and calm upset stomachs due to nausea or irritation.
Inflammation is one of the most common ways that chronic conditions in the body can manifest. Everything from diabetes, heart disease, and cancer can be traced back to inflammation and the body’s response. So any way we can reduce inflammation is a win for staying healthy. Today we can take berberine supplements in a pill or powder form, but what are some of the reasons you might want to start adding this to your everyday routine?
Benefits of berberine
Blood sugar control
If you’re someone who is dealing with diabetes, you know how difficult it can be to manage sometimes. A lot of people who have type 2 diabetes have trouble managing their blood sugar levels and the way their body responds to insulin. Typically these diabetics need assistance with:
- Insulin resistance. When the body does not recognize the blood sugar lowering hormone insulin, it can prove to be a problem. Berberine can help with insulin resistance because it tells the cells to accept the insulin that the body creates, helping to reduce overall blood sugar levels.
- Breaking down sugar. Another problem when you’re diabetic is that your body can’t break down sugar. Taking berberine may increase your chances of glycolysis, which is the breaking down of sugars in the body.
- Decrease sugar production. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Too much sugar production is one of the main ways that blood sugar levels rise. But taking berberine as a supplement may help decrease the production of sugar in the liver.
- Breaking down carbohydrates. One of the main ways the body gets energy is from carbohydrates. But this can only occur when they’re broken down correctly. Taking berberine can help your body process and break down carbohydrates so you can have the fuel and energy to go about your daily tasks.
Weight loss
Although it’s been touted as “nature’s Ozempic” on social media, berberine’s effect on weight loss is a little more nuanced than that. This is not a supplement you want to take if you’re looking for an overnight solution to weight loss. Berberine studies have shown that there is the possibility of weight loss as a side effect to taking it, however it’s important to note that the weight loss is not dramatic. This is not an Ozempic-type drug that can have a large effect on reducing BMIs.
Berberine is typically given to diabetics to help with blood sugar regulation, and those people have experienced weight loss. This could be due to the fact that once their blood sugar is regulated, they’re able to drop a few pounds.
Berberine can help control your appetite and regulate your blood sugar, which has a positive effect on your body, and you may even see some weight come off.
Gut health
Another great benefit to taking berberine is that it can improve the health of your gut. We know that when our gut is healthy, our body and immune system are able to operate at peak performance. There are a variety of bacteria that live in our gut that make digestion and the absorption of nutrients possible. However, sometimes an overgrowth of bacteria occurs (as in the case of SIBO), and the gut becomes unbalanced. When this happens we’re not able to digest our food, and we can become malnourished and dehydrated.
Berberine can assist with this, as it works to balance out the amount of bacteria in the small intestine, and allows it to perform its function in the gastrointestinal system.
Bacterial infections
Berberine may also be effective as an antimicrobial supplement. Studies have shown that it can limit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, which is responsible for conditions like sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. Although it is not a replacement for antibacterial prescription medication, it works in tandem with those drugs to help the body fight off infection.
Berberine works by interacting with your body at the cellular level and can target multiple areas at the same time. This is why it has been so effective at helping with a variety of issues, everything from decreasing insulin resistance to helping you drop a few pounds. But what about its effect on your heart and cholesterol levels?
Berberine and cholesterol
What effect does berberine have on the heart and cholesterol levels?
In addition to helping with blood sugar levels, improving gut health, and fighting bacteria, it turns out that berberine can also help with your heart—specifically with lowering your cholesterol. We all know that just like your gut heath, your heart health is essential to living a happy and healthy life. However, sometimes things like underlying conditions and diet can have a negative effect. When our cholesterol levels are high, it puts a large strain on the heart, as it must work harder to do its job.
Clogged arteries prevent the blood from reaching the heart the way that it should. Heart disease is one of the most common conditions across the world, but there is something you can do about it. Taking berberine may help you lower your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and triglycerides. We know that high levels of both of these increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Not only can berberine reduce bad cholesterol levels, it may also increase HDL, or your good cholesterol levels. This is great news for folks who are dealing with high cholesterol levels and are looking for a natural way to lower them.
While lifestyle choices do contribute to high cholesterol levels, there are other underlying factors that increase your risk of heart disease such as diabetes, obesity, and high blood sugar levels. And as we’ve discussed, berberine can help out with all of those issues, which is why it’s a good addition to your routine if you have higher than normal cholesterol and your doctor believes it’s the right choice.
How long does it take for berberine to lower cholesterol?
When you start taking any supplement, you should of course always consult with your doctor. If you have high cholesterol, there are a variety of ways you can work to lower it. If your healthcare provider thinks that berberine could be a good choice, that’s great! As with any supplement, it’s important to be consistent, and give it time to work. This is not something that’s going to disappear overnight, so it will take some time.
You can expect to start seeing results after at least 12 weeks or three months of consistent use of a berberine supplement. It’s important to note that berberine cannot be expected to entirely lower your cholesterol levels, and it is typically taken with other heart medication prescribed by your doctor.
How much berberine should you take to lower cholesterol?
If your doctor thinks that adding berberine to help lower your cholesterol is a good idea, then you can expect to take around 900-1,500mg of it each day. This amount is what it takes to lower your LDLs by around 25% of what your original level was.
Is there a downside to taking berberine?
Everyone responds to supplements differently, but sometimes there may be mild side effects from taking berberine. It is typically used in conjunction with other heart medications, and compared to these drugs, the effects are considered moderate. You may experience:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Gas
- Upset stomach
Women who are pregnant should not take berberine, as there is a risk of it crossing the placenta and contributing to kernicterus, which is a type of brain damage.
Can you take berberine daily for cholesterol?
While everyone’s path to better cholesterol is different, you can safely take berberine daily for up to six months. Your doctor will map out a plan of treatment that is unique to your needs. Berberine should be taken daily when you’re trying to lower your cholesterol, but most people stop after six months to evaluate where their LDL and triglyceride levels are.
Is berberine better than other heart meds (like statins)?
Berberine supplements are not meant to replace the heart medications that your doctor has prescribed. Instead, they are meant to be taken in addition to other drugs, such as statins. Always consult with your doctor about supplements like berberine, as they can best direct you on what you need to lower your cholesterol safely.
Tips for lowering cholesterol and keeping your heart healthy
When your heart is healthy and strong, you can live your best life!
Berberine might be just what you need to lower your bad cholesterol levels and increase your good cholesterol. However, there are other ways you can keep your heart healthy that you can do in addition to supplements and medication prescribed by your doctor.
- Eat heart-healthy foods. You can control what you eat, so choose heart-healthy foods that are filling, delicious, and can help lower cholesterol. This means adding more omega-3 fatty acids (from food like salmon) as well as soluble fiber (from food like oatmeal) to your diet.
- Increase physical activity. Make sure you’re getting exercise most days of the week. It doesn’t have to be strenuous all the time, just 20-30 minutes of movement can go a long way.
- Quit smoking. When you stop smoking, you’ll increase your HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
- Drink alcohol in moderation. Keep your alcohol intake limited to one or two drinks per day.
- Lose weight. Carrying a few extra pounds can increase your cholesterol levels, so make it a point to speak to your doctor about the best way for you to lose some weight!
Take berberine to help lower your cholesterol
Yes, you can lower your cholesterol levels with the right lifestyle choices, medication, and supplements like berberine! Talk to your doctor and consider picking up some of Dr. Emil’s Berberine Plus.
