December 17, 2019

The blood sugar-lowering benefits of berberine

Die blutzuckersenkenden Vorzüge von Berberin

Berberine is a plant extract that can be traced back to ancient medicine. Modern science has shown that this natural remedy can work as well as the diabetes drug metformin, which may make berberine an effective tool for healthy blood sugar control (1, 2).

Outside of the scientific community, many health-conscious people wonder what berberine is, as it is not as well known as other antioxidants including resveratrol and turmeric.

Similar to turmeric, berberine has a deep yellow, vibrant color. And although this powerful therapeutic compound has been linked to a number of health benefits including better heart and digestive health, in this article we will focus on berberine's intriguing effects on blood sugar levels, metabolism, mood and weight loss support.

What is berberine?

Berberine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found in the root stem, root and bark of plants such as barberry, turmeric (Hydrastis canadensis), goldenseal (Coptis chinensis), barberry (Berberis vulgaris) and common mahonia (Berberis aquifolium). The therapeutic effects of berberine are believed to be based on its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Plant alkaloids are a class of active compounds that have been shown to have physiological effects in humans. Many of these alkaloids have been adopted into Western medicine, with morphine and ephedrine being the best known.

The history of berberine

A clay tablet of an Assyrian ruler from around 650 BC is the first source for an illustration of the fruit of barberry as a blood-purifying remedy. Barberry has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and Native American rituals.

In Ayurvedic medicine, which is considered to be the oldest form of medicine, berberine has been used for over 1000 years. In Ayurvedic medicine, berberine is used to treat a variety of ailments ranging from indigestion and hemorrhoids to obesity and dysentery.

In the field of Chinese medicine, berberine has long been used to aid in the elimination of toxins and to support the liver's natural cleansing processes.

How berberine can help stabilize blood sugar levels

Balanced blood sugar levels are one of the key factors in maintaining stable energy levels and mood, as well as reducing the risk of developing diabetes or heart disease. In addition, blood glucose levels play an important role in how macronutrients are converted into energy.

Carbohydrates in wheat, other grains and simple sugars stimulate the pancreas to release insulin - a hormone that helps the body's cells absorb glucose and convert it into energy. The more carbohydrates there are in the body, the more insulin is released to stimulate the uptake of these carbohydrates by the body's cells.

Numerous clinical, animal and in vitro studies strongly suggest that the active compounds in berberine have the ability to lower blood sugar levels, which may have a kind of positive snowball effect on other physiological conditions.

Although scientists are unsure of the precise combination of actions responsible for berberine's positive effects on blood sugar control, there are some proposed pathways:

Berberine may activate the "metabolic master switch." An energy-stabilizing enzyme called AMPK (adenosine monophosphate kinase) is also known as the "metabolic master switch" due to its positive effects on metabolism (4). AMPK is believed to help improve insulin sensitivity at the cellular level.
Berberine helps to influence the processing of sugar: studies suggest that berberine may stimulate glycolysis - the metabolic pathway by which sugar is broken down and converted into energy - and inhibit gluconeogenesis - the process by which sugar is produced (5). In combination, these activities improve insulin sensitivity and help to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Berberine supports the liver: It is believed that plant compounds may help improve insulin sensitivity in the liver by reducing the production of glucose by the liver. In addition to this, berberine is believed to stimulate thermogenesis. These activities help to suppress the liver's tendency to produce new glucose when liver cells become insulin resistant.

Despite the many benefits of berberine, which continue to be studied, it is the ability of this alkaloid to improve insulin sensitivity that makes it so interesting, as this ability has additional positive effects on other conditions that can be alleviated by stable blood sugar levels.

Berberine for the treatment of high blood sugar levels and diabetes

Millions of people struggle with high blood sugar because the pancreas is unable to produce adequate amounts of insulin or because the cells are insulin resistant. A 2017 study by the Center for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) found that 100 million Americans are diabetic or in a prediabetic state.

Diabetes is when blood sugar levels are higher than normal. It is carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, cereals, rice, pasta, fruit and desserts that can cause this increase in blood sugar levels.

Studies show that berberine can help lower post-meal and fasting blood glucose levels in people suffering from type 2 diabetes (6, 7, 8). It has even been found that the therapeutic properties of berberine are similar to the effects of the diabetes drug metformin, but berberine has none of the undesirable side effects of metformin (6).

These are promising studies as berberine could be an alternative or supportive treatment for diabetics and pre-diabetics.

Berberine to support weight loss

There is a strong correlation between blood sugar levels and weight loss. Insulin not only helps to transport sugar into cells for energy - it also signals when there is enough energy, after which the body starts to store blood sugar for later use and stops burning fat.

When blood sugar levels drop too low, the body responds to this energy shortage with a chain of reactions that can lead to food cravings, binge eating and excessive calorie intake - particularly in the form of simple sugars and carbohydrates.

Scientific research on the effects of berberine on weight loss and fat burning is limited but promising. In one 12-week study, subjects taking 3,500 mg of berberine per day lost about 2.3% (or 2.5 kilograms) of their body weight and were able to reduce their BMI and body fat percentage by 3.6% (9).

Another three-month study showed a reduction in BMI from 31.5 to 27.4, as well as a reduction in waist circumference in obese individuals who supplemented with berberine (10).

Berberine and the mood

A normal fasting blood glucose level (such as in the morning after waking up) is between 70 and 99 mg/dl and below 140 mg/dl two hours after a meal. Both high blood sugar levels and hypoglycemia can affect mood, perception and behavior in different ways.

In diabetics, fluctuations in blood glucose levels can cause mood swings (11). People suffering from type 1 diabetes can suffer from confusion when blood glucose levels rise above 250 mg/dl. Other symptoms of high blood sugar include nervousness, low energy levels and fatigue.

Low blood sugar levels can cause symptoms such as confusion, anxiety and difficulty making decisions.

Berberine to regulate the intestinal flora

The traditional use of berberine as a natural treatment for digestive problems makes sense when you consider its antimicrobial properties. According to studies, berberine can help to create a balanced and healthy gut flora (12). This could be another pathway through which berberine could help in the treatment of diabetes, as studies suggest that healthy gut flora may have anti-diabetic effects.

Dosing guidelines for berberine

In order to benefit from the blood sugar lowering benefits of berberine, it is important to consume the optimal amount of this therapeutic compound. Unlike many other powerful antioxidants found in foods such as currux (turmeric) and grapes and dark chocolate (resveratrol), berberine's active alkaloids are produced from plants that are not in our diet.

This is the reason why the use of a high quality berberine supplement in the correct daily dosage is recommended.

There are many different berberine supplements on the market that contain berberine from various sources. It is worth noting that Berberine Aristata extract has been used in many of the studies that have investigated the positive effects of berberine. This extract is made from barberry seed using an extraction process that isolates the active compounds and maintains the powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects of these ingredients.

After choosing the right berberine supplement, the next step is to determine how much berberine to take daily for optimal effects.

In general, scientific research supports dosages in the range of 500 to 1,500 mg per day. A study review that looked at 14 clinical trials totaling over 1,000 subjects concluded that dosing in this range helps promote healthy glucose metabolism (13).

Other studies have looked at the highest effective dosage and some of these studies have concluded that 1,500 mg of berberine per day can help reduce fasting blood glucose levels by 20% and can also reduce A1c levels, which are a marker of average blood glucose levels over time (14, 15, 16).

In another study, subjects were instructed to take 500 mg of berberine three times a day over a period of 13 weeks. At the end of the study, significant weight loss and a 3.6% reduction in body fat were observed (17).

And what about the low to medium dosage range? A study examining cellular health of the digestive tract found that a berberine dosage in the range of 900 mg per day promoted good endothelial cell health (18).

Most berberine supplements on the market contain 500 mg of berberine per capsule.

How to increase the absorption of berberine

Similar to the curcumin contained in turmeric, berberine also has a low bioavailability (19). However, unlike turmeric, consumption of berberine is limited to supplements. To ensure that a sufficient amount of the active ingredients are consumed to provide health benefits, it is generally recommended to divide a larger dose into several single doses evenly distributed throughout the day.

Possible side effects of Berberine

Berberine supplements can have different effects on different people. Although these supplements are generally well tolerated within the above guidelines, the most common side effects are digestive disorders such as constipation, flatulence and abdominal bloating (20, 21).

Some people should not take berberine

People taking diabetes medication - Berberine supplements should not be taken in combination with prescription diabetes medication, otherwise there is a risk of blood sugar levels dropping too low (22).
People suffering from liver disease - Berberine can reduce the liver's ability to break down bilirubin. For this reason, people with high bilirubin levels should avoid berberine supplements.
Pregnant women - Berberine can cause a rare type of brain damage called kernicterus in newborns with jaundice. Jaundice occurs when there is too much bilirubin in the blood and berberine can interfere with the breakdown of bilirubin (23).

Summary

Berberine is a powerful plant alkaloid that has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
Berberine has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and Native American naturopathy due to its beneficial effects on health.
Controlling blood sugar levels is one of the most common uses of berberine, but berberine has other benefits that include weight loss support, higher energy levels and improved mood.
Berberine supplements are the only practical way to consume the active ingredients. Studies show that a daily dose of 500 to 1,500 mg may have health benefits.

References:

https://www.naomiwhittel.com/berberine-blood-sugar/

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