Berberine is an herbally-derived supplement with a laundry list of health benefits. Among the most noteworthy barberry benefits benefits: It’s one of the few supplements that has been shown to work as well as prescription drugs in clinical trials. Berberine can reduce inflammation, lower your blood sugar levels, improve your gut health, and help protect your heart. Studies suggest it has an array of other health benefits and minimal side effects.

Berberine is an isoquinoline plant alkaloid derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Therapeutic use of berberine by humans date back to 3000 B. Berberine has a bitter taste and is found in many systems of traditional botanical medicine. Asian traditional medicine systems tout berberine for its properties of clearing damp-heat, quenching fire, and counteracting poison. Berberine works in various ways in different tissues and organ systems. AMPK is found in cells of different organs throughout your body, including your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, fat cells, and muscle tissue. That’s the main reason it’s helpful for people with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

The AMPK pathway also reduces cell proliferation and cell growth, which helps explain berberine’s weight loss, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers initially assumed that oral absorption of berberine was poor because they found low blood levels of the compound. But newer evidence suggests that berberine is well-absorbed, but quickly metabolized by your body. Browse our curated collection of fan-favorites and discover your new favorite snack or supplement.

When you take berberine, it’s rapidly absorbed and then transformed in your liver — so quickly that it’s impossible to measure in your blood. 11 Berberine Benefits Here are some of the berberine benefits that can be good for your health. The effects of berberine on type 2 diabetes patients are comparable to those of metformin, a popular prescription diabetes drug. A meta-analysis of 14 studies found that berberine is equally effective for improving insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar as prescription drugs metformin, glipizide, and rosiglitazone. Berberine pairs well with healthy lifestyle changes and also works in conjunction with other drugs for lowering blood sugar. In a rat study, berberine even protected against metformin-associated lactic acidosis, a medical complication that can occur in people who take the drug metformin. An unhealthy diet or certain health issues, like insulin resistance, can increase ROS formation, tipping the balance towards an inflammatory state.