What Is Berberine?
Berberine is a bioactive compound that can be extracted from several different plants, including a group of shrubs called Berberis.
Technically, it belongs to a class of compounds called alkaloids. It has a yellow color, and has often been used as a dye.
Berberine has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, where it was used to treat various ailments.
Now, modern science has confirmed that it has impressive benefits for several different health problems.
Possibly Effective for
- Canker sores. Applying a gel containing berberine can reduce pain, redness, oozing, and the size of canker sores.
- Diabetes. Taking berberine by mouth seems to slightly reduce blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
- High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood (hyperlipidemia). Taking berberine by mouth, alone or with other ingredients, might help lower total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with high cholesterol.
- High blood pressure. Taking 0.9 grams of berberine by mouth daily along with the blood pressure-lowering drug amlodipine reduces blood pressure better than taking amlodipine alone in people with high blood pressure.
- A hormonal disorder that causes enlarged ovaries with cysts (polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS). Taking berberine by mouth might lower blood sugar, improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reduce testosterone levels, and lower waist-to-hip ratio in people with PCOS.
There is interest in using berberine for a number of other purposes, but there isn’t enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
SIDE EFFECTS
Berberine is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults for short-term use when taken by mouth or applied to the skin.
Dosage information
The standard dose of berberine is 900-2,000mg a day, divided into three to four doses.
Berberine should be taken with a meal, or shortly after, to take advantage of the blood glucose and lipid spike associated with eating.
Too much berberine at once can result in stomach upset, cramping, and diarrhea.
References: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/berberine-powerful-supplement
