Berberine may help diabetics control blood sugar, weight, and cholesterol levels
Plants and Animals
Berberine is one of those botanicals that have been used for centuries to address a wide range of health problems.
Today we’ll see how it works to help manage type 2 diabetes.
Good coverage
Berberine is extracted from the roots and barks of various plants. This natural alkaloid has made an appearance in several e-Alerts and HSI Members Alerts, where it’s usually featured as a natural anti-inflammatory and COX-2 inhibitor. In fact, berberine is one of the ingredients in Zyflamend, the COX-2 inhibiting supplement I’ve told you about that has been shown to relieve arthritis symptoms.
Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have commonly used berberine as an antimicrobial to treat wounds, diarrhea, and dysentery. In addition, animal and laboratory studies have shown berberine to be potentially useful in addressing other conditions, including:
- Infection from MRSA, the aggressive bacterium that’s resistant to most antibiotics
- Loss of bone mineral density
- Abnormal cardiac function
- Prostate cancer
- Blood sugar control
In a 2006 report from Australia’s Garvan Institute, researchers wrote: “Our studies in animal models of diabetes show that berberine acts in part by activating an enzyme in the muscle and liver that is involved in improving sensitivity of the tissue to insulin – this in turn helps lower blood sugar levels. In addition it seems berberine can help reduce body weight.”
Next step: humans
Following up on the Garvan Institute work, scientists at the Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases recently took the next step in berberine research with a clinical trial.
More than 100 type 2 diabetics with elevated cholesterol levels were recruited. Subjects were divided into two groups to receive either one gram of berberine daily or a placebo for three months.
RESULTS
- All primary outcomes were significantly better in the berberine group compared to placebo
- Blood pressure was lowered in the berberine group
- On average, berberine subjects lost more than five pounds while placebo subjects lost less than three
- Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were all reduced in the berberine group
- Most importantly, blood sugar levels dropped significantly in the berberine group
The Shanghai team measured blood sugar by testing hemoglobin A1C levels, which is considered the most accurate method of tracking blood sugar changes over long periods. An A1C level of 5 percent is considered safe, and lower than 7 percent is considered normal. In the study, berberine subjects dropped from an average of 7.5 percent to 6.6 percent.
Five subjects in the berberine group reported the only side effect: mild to moderate constipation. Reduced dosage appears to remedy that problem.
You can find berberine supplements in supplement shops and on various Internet sites, but talk to your doctor before using berberine to address type 2 diabetes.
Sources:
“Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia with the Natural Plant Alkaloid Berberine” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol. 93, No. 7, July 2008, jcem.endojournals.org “Traditional Chinese Medicine for Diabetes has Scientific Backing” Garvan Institute, 8/1/06, garvan.org
