A natural alternative to diabetes treatment?
A natural alternative to diabetes treatment?
Berberine is a yellow compound found in several different plants, including barberry, goldenseal, phellodendron, and Oregon grape. Berberine has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties. However, in recent years, a lot of research has been published on its role in protecting against cardiovascular disease as well as in the treatment of diabetes and insulin resistance.
How does it work?
Berberine activates a specific enzyme called adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase or AMPK. AMPK is also sometimes called the "master metabolic switch" because it plays an important role in regulating the body's metabolism.
Increased AMPK activity benefits the body in many ways.
For people with diabetes, AMPK more effectively stimulates glucose uptake into cells, improves insulin sensitivity, and reduces glucose production in the liver.
For people with cardiovascular disease, AMPK prevents harmful fat deposits and stimulates fat burning in the mitochondria. It also promotes the release of nitric oxide (NO), which in turn increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
Show me the research!
In a clinical trial published in the journal Metabolism in 2008, newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients were randomly divided into groups and assigned to take berberine or metformin (500 mg 3 times a day) during a 3-month trial.
Berberine was able to control blood sugar levels and lipid metabolism as effectively as metformin. Significant reductions in hemoglobin A1c, fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, and plasma triglycerides were also observed in the berberine group. In addition, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) also significantly decreased.
Overall, the results were incredibly promising for a more natural form of diabetes treatment.
A recent meta-analysis by Dong et al. combined data from 14 randomized trials involving 1,068 participants. Berberine treatment and lifestyle modifications showed significant effects on reducing blood sugar and cholesterol levels. These effects did not differ from those obtained with standard anti-diabetic drugs, including metformin, glipizide, or rosiglitazone, but they avoided the side effects caused by more traditional pharmaceuticals.
An article, published in December 2004, described berberine as "a novel cholesterol-lowering drug" working through a "unique mechanism distinct from statins". In this study, berberine was administered for 3 months to 32 patients with high cholesterol. The treatment reduced serum cholesterol by 29%, triglycerides by 35%, and LDL-cholesterol by 25%.
Demand Berberine from Preferred Nutrition and you'll know you're getting a high-quality supplement, bearing the ISSURA seal of approval, for optimal support for healthy blood sugar and cardiovascular health.
by Dr. Marita Schauch, BSc, ND
References:
Yin J, Xing H, Ye J. Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism. 2008;57(5):712-717.
Dong H, Wang N, Zhao L, Lu F. Berberine in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:591654.
Kong W, Wei J, Abidi P, et al. Berberine is a novel cholesterol-lowering drug working through a unique mechanism distinct from statins. Nat Med. 2004;10(12):1344-1351