Main image courtesy of Energy Health Centre.
One of the most important things to do in your life is try to be as healthy as you can. By maintaining the correct weight, exercising, and eating all of your fruits and vegetables, you can live a healthier lifestyle so you can be happier and enjoy the most out of life. Weight loss may be something that is on your mind, and it can be tough to shave off the pounds if you’ve tried many alternatives.
Sometimes supplements are crucial in order to help aid in your weight loss journey and one of the best ones on the market is berberine. Berberine is a useful supplement that can not only help shed off the extra pounds, but it can help maintain your metabolism, and also increase your energy levels throughout the day.
Supplements are a great aid to use when it comes to keeping yourself healthier, or even losing weight. If you’re looking for a supplement brand that is all about holistic health and using natural ingredients, Dr. Emil’s brand may be perfect for you. Dr. Emil brings you some of the best supplements on the market that are high in quality using the best ingredients available that are healthier for your body. Dr. Emil offers a ton of supplements that have many different uses, and his berberine supplement can help to promote healthy weight loss for results you’ll love!
In this article, some of the topics we will discuss include:
- What is Berberine?
- Can You Take Berberine on an Empty Stomach?
- Is Berberine Safe to Take?
What is Berberine?
Get to know the supplement that has everyone talking, and also dropping weight!
It is always important to brush up on your research skills when it comes to supplements and what they are good for. Berberine is a supplement that many people enjoy taking because it has helped in weight loss, but what exactly is it?
What is Berberine?
There are many types of plants out there that can help aid in your health and plenty of them are used as supplements. Berberine is no different since it comes from a plant, but more specifically, one that is a chemical that is found in plants. To break it down, Berberine comes from a few different types of plants such as the European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, the Oregon grape, tree turmeric, and even the phellodendron.
An interesting fact about berberine is that it is a chemical that has been popular among Chinese medicine for years. This is because of the numerous positive benefits it can have on all aspects of your body, not just weight loss, and it is all done from a chemical substance found in a plant.
Berberine is a bitter tasting chemical that comes from these plants, but it helps to promote weight loss and provide many other benefits too. It is also important to note that berberine is a supplement that is available in a capsule or pill form, and it is also available to be applied topically through your skin as well.
How Does Berberine Actually Work in the Body?
Now that you have a sense of what berberine is, you may be wondering how it actually functions. Berberine activates an enzyme in your cells called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which helps to regulate metabolism and energy levels within your body. It is also responsible for turning specific genes on or off, which may have the ability to prevent any chronic health conditions that can cause damage to your body over time.
What Are the Benefits of Taking Berberine?
Just like with any supplement, there are a ton of benefits that go along with taking berberine that may just convince you to start taking them.
Some of the benefits of taking berberine include the following:
- Supports metabolism
- Aids in weight loss
- Increases energy levels
- Strengthen the heartbeat
- Regulates sugar in blood
- Helps reduce swelling
- Helps with symptoms of diabetes
- Lowers high cholesterol
- Lower high blood pressure
- Prevents the build-up of a fatty liver
- Helps aid with certain heart conditions
- Reduces risk of heart disease
- Reduces the risk of heart failure
- Reduces the growth and the spread of certain types of cancers
Can You Take Berberine on an Empty Stomach?
Get to know when the best time of day is to take berberine, whether with food or not!
Many people who are interested in taking berberine consider taking it because of the weight loss benefits. Taking berberine can have a ton of positive benefits, but knowing the right way to take the supplement, including if you should take it on an empty stomach or not is crucial.
Is it Healthy to Take Berberine on an Empty Stomach?
Berberine is recommended to be taken on an empty stomach right before a meal for the best effects to take place. Taking berberine thirty minutes before a meal can help regulate your blood glucose. It can also help your body to take advantage of the lipid spike you get when you eat. Lipids help your body regulate energy levels by storing energy in your body.
It is normal for some people to experience an upset stomach when taking berberine on an empty stomach, but it is also a common side effect to taking the supplement. If it becomes unbearable, or continues to happen, it is advised to stop taking berberine and consult with your doctor for any further issues you may be experiencing.
What Dosage of Berberine Should You Take?
Before taking berberine, it is important to talk to your doctor first to ensure that it is a supplement that is approved for you by your doctor. Getting some medical advice to make sure that it is right for your health and body is crucial and doctors can determine if it's a suitable choice for you, along with recommending the correct dosage for your height and weight.
According to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), it is recommended to take 900 to 1,500mg of berberine per day in order to see the results.
While it is up to you to pick the best dosage for you, it is recommended to start small until you build your tolerance to it, and then periodically raise the dosage. Many doctors recommend for people new to the supplement to start by taking 500mg dosages three times a day. Once you start to feel your body get used to the supplement and you start to see noticeable results, you can up your dosage another 500mg.
It is important to note that taking supplements all depends on you and your body and just how much it can handle. If you are unsure about the dosage of Berberine that is right for you, it’s important to consider speaking to your doctor about your options.
Is Berberine Safe to Take?
Knowing if a supplement is safe to take and approved by your doctor should always be your first step!
There is no doubt about it that supplements can be a life changer when it comes to trying to get in shape and become a happier and healthier you. Many supplements are approved by doctors from around the world, but many are skeptical as to the studies of particular ones.
The Safety of Taking Berberine Supplements
According to doctors, berberine is generally safe to take for most adults.
Berberine is a supplement that shouldn't be taken every single day, but in six month increments. Many doctors recommend taking doses only up to 1.5g daily for six months to get the results that you are wishing to achieve.
If you are someone who has diabetes, heart disease, or suffers from obesity, doctors may recommend berberine over someone who is at the proper weight for their age group and height. This is due to the weight loss benefits berberine has, the ability for it to help regulate sugar in your body, and even helping to aid with symptoms of certain heart conditions.
What Are the Side Effects of Berberine?
Along with the many positives of taking supplements, there always come some negatives too. Berberine is a supplement that is generally safe to take, but people can experience some slight discomfort with minor side effects.
Some of the most common side effects of berberine include:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Gas
- Upset stomach
Berberine is also a supplement that pregnant women should refrain from taking because of the negative effects that it can have on the fetus. If it is taken while pregnant, it can come in contact with the placenta and potentially harm the baby without the mother’s knowledge.
The most common type of birth defect that can harm unborn babies because of the use of berberine while pregnant is Kernicterus. Known for being a type of brain damage, it is developed in newborns who are exposed to berberine, which can cause long-term damage and is irreversible once diagnosed. It is known to cause hearing loss and even cerebral palsy in infants. It is also advised not to take berberine when breast-feeding as well to avoid any issues with your baby’s overall health.
It is important to talk to your doctor before taking any supplement. No one knows what is healthier for you than your doctor, and they can help recommend different supplements to add to your everyday diet, and the correct dosage of each one that is needed for you and your health.
Supplements are a great health benefit to add into your everyday life because of the potential good that it can have on your body. Berberine is a supplement that can help you to lose weight and can act as an aid alongside exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet full of protein, fruits, and vegetables.
Berberine is safe to take on an empty stomach, and you may only experience a little bit of an upset stomach, but as long as you eat food around thirty minutes after taking it, you can experience weight loss, a faster metabolism, and tons of other benefits.
