04/21/2026
Berberine
With all of the media hype surrounding these new weight loss drugs involving GLP-1 I thought I would do a post regarding the use of berberine for weight loss and other conditions and how it basically works. I will do separate posts for the herbs berberine is derived from. Because this is such a dense topic and there are a lot of medically technical terms, I will try to be as brief and concise as I can without being too technical. And I also strongly suggest doing your own research on any supplement you are considering taking as every ‘body’ is different and only you and your medical professionals can decide what is right for you.
What It Is
Berberine is a compound found in the Berberbis family of plants. Some plants in this genus include Barberry, Oregon Grape and Goldenseal. In traditional medicine, berberine has been used to manage blood sugar levels, cholesterol and weight. It’s also used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine practices. Yes, there are studies regarding berberine, but they have not been large enough or enough of them for the medical community to feel comfortable saying whether or not it’s comparable to Ozempic or Metformin. All studies that have been conducted on berberine in regards to weight loss also included lifestyle changes like caloric restrictions, better dietary choices and exercise. But the results are that those who took berberine in addition to these changes mostly lost more weight.
Dosage
The suggested dose for an adult is 250-500 mg 2-3 times daily and it’s common to take 500 mg 3 times per day 30 minutes before meals.
Uses
• Blood sugar management-improves insulin sensitivity and reduces glucose production in the liver
• Cholesterol-lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides (directly linked to heart disease) while boosting HDL (good cholesterol) and may lower the risk of heart disease over time
• Weight loss-activates an enzyme inside cells that play a key role in metabolism (look up AMPK and SIRT1 proteins) and inhibits fat cell growth
• May enhance liver health and potentially treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, but other studies show it may hinder metabolism of certain drugs causing them to be less effective or induce side effects of the drugs
• Kidney health-it affects the bacteria in your gut and can stop the production of harmful gut substances that can make kidney disease worse.
• Inhibits growth of certain cancers including colorectal, lung, ovarian, prostate liver and cervical cancers
Warnings/Contraindications
Berberine is generally considered safe with most possible side effects being mild and digestive such as nausea, diarrhea and constipation. However, pregnant or nursing women should not take it as it can cause uterine contractions or miscarriage and increases the risk of brain damage in a fetus. Berberine may also slow blood clotting, so stop usage 2-3 weeks before any surgery. Since berberine lowers blood sugar, you should not take it when taking prescribed diabetic medication. Also, you should talk to your doctor if taking any meds that may be affected by changes in liver metabolism before taking berberine.
