Main image courtesy of Dr. Emil.
We’d all like to live each day feeling our best, and one of the top ways to do that is by eating healthy and ensuring we’re getting the right amount of exercise. Taking care of yourself in this way, along with getting a good night’s sleep, helps you maintain a good weight, and keeps a lot of chronic conditions away. Another great way to stay in top shape is to include supplements into your daily routine. Depending on your health goals, supplements can give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive.
One supplement that has gotten a lot of attention lately is berberine. But what exactly is it, and should you include it in your everyday regimen? Let’s find out. We’ll be covering the following topics in this article:
- What berberine is and how to incorporate it
- The major berberine health benefits
- Side effects of berberine
- Who should take berberine
If you’re looking for a high-quality berberine supplement, look no further than Dr. Emil’s Berberine Plus. Made with berberine and other organic compounds, this supplement is ready to help keep your gut healthy, strengthen your immune system, and assist you with glucose regulation. You may even notice some weight come off in the meantime, as berberine can also help regulate your metabolism so you aren’t always feeling hungry. Backed by science and designed by a medical doctor, these berberine supplements could be just what your body needs.
What is berberine + how do you incorporate it?
Berberine is having a moment right now, but what exactly is it?
Berberine is a naturally occurring compound found in a variety of plants, such as barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, and tree turmeric. Although some of its benefits are just now being discovered, it has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for hundreds of years to treat inflammation in the body as well as upset stomach and nausea. Berberine seems to be so effective because it targets different bodily processes and systems at once. It targets enzymes at the cellular level, and can cause changes and regulate what genes are turned on and turned off.
As you can imagine, this can produce some important consequences for the body. Berberine is easy to ingest in supplement form, and it’s typically found in a capsule or a powder. However, you should always speak with your doctor first before starting a supplement to ensure you will benefit from it. By doing so, you can also obtain personalized guidance to support your health and well-being.
So why might you want to take berberine in the first place?
As you can imagine, this can produce some important consequences for the body. Berberine is easy to ingest in supplement form, and it’s typically found in a capsule or a powder. You should always speak with your doctor first before starting a supplement to ensure you will benefit from it. So why might you want to take berberine in the first place?
What are the health benefits of berberine?
Berberine has some great benefits that are backed by research
So why do we keep hearing about berberine, whether it’s on Instagram or TikTok, berberine seems to be very popular right now. There are a lot of benefits to taking berberine, and some are more researched than others, but let’s start out with some of the top reasons you might want to consider discussing this with your doctor!
Help with blood sugar
If you have high blood sugar or are a type 2 diabetic, then berberine may help lower your blood sugar and help your body regulate glucose. Many diabetics have higher blood sugar levels because their body resists the insulin that they do produce, which makes it hard to keep these levels at an acceptable amount. It can also help your body break down sugars naturally at the cellular level, and slow the breakdown of carbs in your gut.
In addition to lowering blood sugar levels and helping the body regulate glucose and accept insulin, berberine can also lower hemoglobin levels, which are an indicator of long-term blood sugar regulation. This is great news for diabetics or pre-diabetics who are looking for a way to better regulate blood sugar levels.
Moreover, berberine enhances insulin secretion and sensitivity. This improvement means that berberine helps lower blood sugar and boosts the effectiveness of the body's natural insulin.
Discussing this with your doctor is essential, especially if you are already taking medication to lower blood sugar levels. Berberine is typically not taken alongside this type of medication, since it would lower blood sugar levels too low, but this is best assessed by your healthcare provider.
May help you lose weight
You may have heard that berberine is referred to as “nature’s Ozempic,” putting it in the same category as the medication Ozempic, which is known for its weight loss benefits. The studies that have been done to prove this claim have been small, but there may be some truth to the weight loss claim, although do not expect drastic results. Studies done on obese patients showed that berberine supplements reduced weight and BMI.
Patients who have a metabolic syndrome may benefit even more from taking berberine, as the supplement is known to help regulate the metabolism. This could result in these folks losing weight and decreasing their BMI readings. While it appears weight loss could be a benefit for certain groups of people, experts stress that you should not look to this supplement for dramatic results. The patients who took berberine and experienced weight loss had other factors involved, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome, which should be considered.
Berberine is also pivotal in promoting liver health by potentially reducing fat accumulation in liver cells. This action is particularly crucial for individuals at risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). By inhibiting enzymes responsible for liver fat storage, berberine supports liver function and aids in overall weight management, offering dual benefits for health and weight control.
Can lower cholesterol
Another great benefit to berberine is that it can help your heart. Heart disease is still one of the most common conditions, and a lot of people are dealing with issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, inflammation, and obesity. Berberine studies have shown that it is capable of:
- Reducing bad cholesterol
- Increasing good cholesterol
- Decreases blood triglycerides
- Reduce blood pressure
The lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, the less likely you are to develop chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Berberine might be a more natural alternative to statins, which are typically prescribed to reduce cholesterol levels. Since it works at the cellular level, there is also some evidence to suggest berberine has an impact on the enzyme PCSK9, and helps remove even more bad cholesterol from your bloodstream.
In addition to the benefits mentioned, berberine directly improves arterial elasticity and decreases the buildup of plaques. As a result, it enhances cholesterol management and supports overall arterial health.
Reduces inflammation
One of the first benefits of berberine discovered was its ability to reduce inflammation. Inflammation is one of the most common underlying causes of diseases like heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. When you can reduce inflammation in the body, there’s a greater chance you won’t develop these chronic diseases.
Some studies also suggest that berberine might be beneficial in managing mood disorders, potentially due to its effect on reducing brain inflammation.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
This syndrome occurs when a female has high levels of particular male hormones, which can lead to a hormonal and metabolic imbalance as well as infertility. Many individuals are exploring solutions like taking berberine for PCOS to address associated symptoms. While berberine does not have an effect on infertility itself, typically those with PCOS are dealing with underlying issues that berberine can help with, such as:
- Diabetes
- High levels of insulin
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
Taking berberine for PCOS may be able to help alleviate these factors, as sometimes diabetic medication is prescribed for those dealing with this syndrome.
Helps the gut
Berberine has also been known to be helpful to the gut and the immune system in general. Our digestive system exists in a delicate balance of positive and negative bacteria. If this balance becomes disrupted and there is an increase in total bacteria numbers, or there is more bad bacteria than good, our gut can suffer. When our gut can’t function normally we can not only experience uncomfortable side effects, but it can have an effect on our immune system. In order to boost immunity and keep our gut bacteria where it should be, you might find that the antibacterial properties of berberine are particularly helpful.
Side effects of berberine
How much berberine should you take and are there any side effects?
Now that you’re a little more familiar with the health benefits of berberine, perhaps it’s time to have a discussion with your doctor? They can give you advice and decide whether it’s the right choice for you to start taking this supplement. If you do decide to add this supplement to your daily routine, you’ll start out with a low dose, and then gradually increase it. Most people take the supplement daily, and take up to 1.5 grams. You can choose to take it all at once, or spread it out before meals throughout the day.
Most people tolerate berberine well, although you may find some side effects:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Gas
- Upset stomach
These side effects are considered mild, but some people may experience all or some of them. If your side effects are painful or they haven’t subsided after a few days, make sure you discuss this with your doctor to see if your dosage should be altered.
Who should take berberine
People take berberine for a variety of reasons, whether they want to lower their cholesterol, regulate their blood sugar, or just improve the function of their gut. You can discuss with your doctor why you may want to start taking this supplement, and they can help you decide if it’s right for you. It is a safe supplement to take in the short term—most doctors prescribe it for a period of six months. There are no long term studies on the effects of berberine, which is why your doctor will have you wait before you start another six month dose.
Children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women should not take berberine as there is a risk of brain damage that can occur.
Tips to stay healthy
In addition to supplements, there are easy ways to ensure you’re staying healthy daily!
Staying healthy is a lifelong goal, and something that you can work towards each day. Berberine may be the supplement you need to help you lower your cholesterol, decrease your risk of heart disease, or get your blood sugar level in check. In addition to helping your body out in this way, there are other options to ensure you’re living your best life for years to come.
- Get moving each day. It’s important for our muscles and bones to get movement each day. Ideally this would be around 25-30 minutes daily, but you can break it up if you’re having a particularly busy day. Both cardio and strength training are important, but just getting up and moving around to do chores counts!
- Keep tabs on your diet. We all lead busy lives, and sometimes the draw of convenient processed food is too much. While this is ok once in a while, your diet should be based more on whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, meats, and whole grains. Eating filling, nutritious foods can also boost your immune system, help manage your weight, and prevent underlying conditions such as inflammation from developing.
- Make sleep a priority. Adults should aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. However, due to busy schedules and various responsibilities, getting good sleep may be challenging. And sometimes winding down after a long day is difficult, which is why most people don’t get that many hours each night. Our brains and bodies need sleep to rest, repair, and restore energy. That said, it helps to create a calming routine that prepares your body for bed (and limits screen time) such as reading, journaling, listening to music, or doing stretches. Moreover, you can transform your bedroom into a peaceful sleeping sanctuary by adding plush pillows, cozy blankets, and blackout curtains to create a relaxing atmosphere conducive to uninterrupted sleep.
- Drink and smoke in moderation (if at all). Quitting smoking and drinking in moderation are great ways to ensure you’re not at greater risk for developing conditions such as heart disease, cancer, or inflammation.
- Manage stress. We all need to find a way to manage stress, since being chronically stressed can lead to inflammation, depression, and weaken your immune system. Although we can’t avoid it completely, we can decide how we respond to it. If you find that work or social relationships are stressing you out, it could be time to make some time to de-stress. Ideally you incorporate techniques such as yoga, meditation, exercising, or diaphragmatic breathing into your daily routine to keep stress at bay.
Berberine has many health benefits, but is it right for you?
Berberine has many benefits to offer. Talk with your doctor to see if this helpful supplement is something that could benefit you!
