Written by Tracy Norfleet, MD, MBA, FACP, ABOM | Reviewed by Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH
Key takeaways:
– Berberine is a dietary supplement. Berberine-containing plants have been traditionally used in different parts of the world to treat inflammation, eye infections, and other conditions.
– Berberine is not approved to treat medical conditions. But berberine may be a helpful addition to treatment plans for high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes.
– Berberine hasn’t been shown to significantly reduce weight. Experts do not recommend it as a treatment option for weight management.
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Injectable medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro are changing the way people manage their diabetes. Healthcare providers are also prescribing these medications off-label for weight loss in people without diabetes. And Wegovy, another injectable medication, is FDA approved for weight management.
But not everyone wants to take an injectable medication. And some people prefer a more natural approach. So it’s no surprise that people have been looking into berberine, a dietary supplement that’s been called “nature’s Ozempic.” Here’s what the science says about berberine and what it can really do.
What is berberine?
Berberine is a naturally occurring plant alkaloid. Alkaloids in plants can regulate the growth of plants and protect plants from predators.
Berberine-containing plants have been used in different parts of the world to treat many different types of health conditions, from tumors to canker sores. But berberine is not FDA approved to treat any medical conditions.
Does berberine help with weight loss?
Probably not.
Berberine has been shown to activate brown fat in mice. It’s also been shown to stop mice liver from making sugar and keep mice intestines from absorbing carbohydrates. All of these actions can lead to weight loss.
But there’s no good evidence that berberine does the same things for humans. In one review of studies, people taking berberine for obesity treatment lost an average of 4.5 pounds. Some advocates consider these results promising, but they’re more modest than what other obesity treatments provide.
Greg Lopez, editor in chief at Examine.com and nutrition science researcher, notes that berberine has a limited effect on a person’s weight. “Berberine may help people lose a few pounds (if it helps at all).”
Can berberine help with other medical conditions?
Maybe.
Berberine has been studied as a treatment for:
– Type 2 diabetes
– High cholesterol
– High blood pressure
But there’s no evidence that berberine can be used by itself to treat these conditions. However, there is some evidence that berberine can be a helpful addition to treatment plans. It may also help boost the effects of proven treatments.
Even though there’s been some promising results, more research is needed to see if berberine works for everyone. Here’s what the research shows so far about how berberine works for different conditions.
High cholesterol
In a small clinical trial, 80 people either took 750 mg of berberine or a placebo every day for 3 months. At the end of the trial, people who took berberine had lower fasting blood sugar and cholesterol levels than the people who took a placebo.
In another small study, 63 people with high cholesterol took berberine along with simvastatin, a medication that can treat high cholesterol. Adding berberine seemed to help simvastatin work better. People were able to further lower their LDL (“bad” cholesterol) level by over 30%.
High blood pressure
There’s also evidence that adding 900 mg of berberine to amlodipine therapy can help people with high blood pressure better manage their blood pressure in comparison to amlodipine alone.
But there’s no good evidence that taking berberine by itself or adding it to other hypertension medications can help lower blood pressure.
Type 2 diabetes
There’s some evidence that berberine can help lower blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C levels in people who have Type 2 diabetes when added to other diabetes treatments. Another review of studies showed that when added to other diabetes treatments, berberine helped lower blood sugar and helped the body respond to insulin.
“Berberine lowers HbA1c by roughly 0.5%, perhaps a little less. Berberine can help a bit with blood sugar management in people with insulin resistance,” says Lopez.
Is berberine similar to Ozempic?
Berberine has been called “nature’s Ozempic,” but berberine and Ozempic are not the same.
“Calling berberine ‘nature’s Ozempic’ is more about sales than science,” says Lopez. “The data for Ozempic’s effect on weight and blood sugar is much stronger than the data for berberine. Ozempic has good, well-designed trials demonstrating its effectiveness.” But he adds, “berberine has a bunch of smaller trials that are all pretty different from each other and may not always be of high quality.”
Ozempic has been studied on a large scale, which means it’s very likely to work for most people. The same can’t be said for berberine. While studies have shown that some people have seen benefits while taking berberine, it’s not clear if everyone will benefit from taking it.
Plus, Ozempic has been shown to consistently and significantly help manage blood sugar. Wegovy, another form of semaglutide, consistently and significantly helps with weight management.
On the other hand, berberine only provides modest, if any, results on its own.
What are the risks and side effects of berberine?
Berberine might not be safe for some adults, including people who:
– Have liver or kidney problems
– Have an underlying kidney or liver condition
– Are pregnant or breastfeeding
Talk with your healthcare provider if you aren’t sure.
“People who are already taking anti-diabetes or high blood pressure meds should consult with their doctor before taking it since the combo of berberine and their meds can possibly lead to blood sugar or blood pressure that’s too low,” adds Lopez.
But berberine is a dietary supplement, which means that berberine-containing products are not FDA regulated. So keep in mind that the actual amount of berberine in any given supplement may be higher or lower than what the label says. This makes it hard to know what side effects to expect.
The most commonly reported berberine side effects include:
– Diarrhea
– Constipation
– Bloating and gas
– Upset stomach
Berberine can interact with prescription medications. Before taking berberine, talk with your healthcare provider if you take medications to treat:
– Anxiety
– Depression
– Mood disorders
– Seasonal allergies
– Erectile dysfunction
– Pulmonary hypertension
– Blood clots
– Sleep disorders, including insomnia
If you have a weakened immune system or an organ transplant, don’t take berberine without talking with your healthcare provider. Berberine can interact with immunosuppressive medications.
Berberine can help some treatments work better, including those for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. But it can stop others from working. So, if you have one of these conditions, talk with your healthcare provider before adding berberine to your treatment plan. Your provider may need to switch your medications.
The bottom line
Berberine is a dietary supplement that may help manage blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure when added to certain medications that are used to treat these conditions. There’s no good evidence that berberine can treat any medical conditions on its own. Some people report weight loss while taking berberine, but the effects are modest.
The FDA does not regulate berberine, and it can interact with many prescription medications. If you take any medications or have an underlying health condition, talk with your healthcare provider before trying berberine.
References
Asbaghi, O., et al. (2020). The effect of berberine supplementation on obesity parameters, inflammation and liver function enzymes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.
Guo, J., et al. (2021). The effect of berberine on metabolic profiles in Type 2 diabetic patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
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