Does berberine really help with weight loss?

Social media influencers have called the supplement berberine “nature’s Ozempic.”

But does it really work as well as Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications to help you lose weight and keep your blood sugar levels in check?

The short answer is no — berberine isn’t as effective as GLP-1 medications. However, it’s been shown to help people lose some weight and lower their blood sugar levels.

How does berberine work?

Berberine is a bioactive compound found in various plants including barberry and goldenseal.

One of the supplement’s main functions is to trigger an important enzyme, AMPK (activated protein kinase), that controls your metabolism, the process in which your body turns what you eat and drink into energy.

Berberine can slow down digestion and make you feel full sooner. The supplement also makes your cells more sensitive to insulin to move glucose from your bloodstream into your cells where it’s used for energy.

The better your glucose is controlled, the better chances you have of losing weight.

How much weight can you lose on berberine?

It’s unclear. There have been clinical studies, but there aren’t enough of them to say with certainty how much weight people will lose when taking berberine. Some studies show modest weight loss — between 5% and 7% of body weight. So, for example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you can expect to lose up to 10 1/2 lbs.

If your goal is to shed some pounds and you decide to try berberine, it’s also necessary to make other dietary changes as well to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients, such as fiber and protein. Exercising regularly is important, too.

Does berberine reduce belly fat?

No, it doesn’t specifically reduce belly fat. No supplement trims your belly fat. A lot of noise out there on social media would have you believe there are pills you can take to trim down your belly fat, that fat is best eliminated through diet, exercise, regular sleep and reducing your stress.

Berberine can lower blood glucose levels

Berberine can improve your body’s ability to respond to insulin, the hormone your pancreas produces that allows your body’s cells to absorb glucose broken down from what you eat and drink, and turn it into energy.

Sometimes people can become insulin-resistant. That’s when their cells aren’t responding as well to insulin as they used to. As a result, glucose isn’t entering the cells as much as it had been. When less glucose is taken up by the cells and used as energy, the glucose remains in your blood, leading to higher blood glucose levels.

Metformin vs. berberine

The medication metformin is currently the gold standard for helping people bring down high blood glucose levels. Berberine can also help your body respond to insulin better, but not likely as well as metformin.

Taking metformin, you would typically see a faster and more significant decline in your A1C hemoglobin levels — your blood glucose levels averaged over a period of three months.

If you’re taking berberine, you likely won’t see a decline in your A1C until three to six months after you begin taking the supplement.

Is berberine safe to take daily?

Berberine is safe to take every day. Still, it’s best to always talk with your health care provider before trying berberine or other supplements.

Berberine has a half-life of several hours, so it doesn’t last in your system very long. Most berberine supplements contain 500 mg per capsule, and supplement labels often recommend taking berberine three times per day, before meals.

Taking two to three capsules throughout the day would total 1,000 to 1,500 mg of berberine.

Berberine is not meant to be taken with food. Take it before or in between meals, early in the day, rather than at night.

Don’t take berberine if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or under 18.

Side effects of berberine

Side effects of berberine aren’t common, and the benefits of the supplement typically outweigh side effects. Still, anyone considering taking berberine should first ask their health care provider.

Main side effects of berberine:

• Gas
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Diarrhea

A rare side effect of berberine is liver toxicity. Berberine can interact with some medications, including statins, anti-tumor medications and pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), blood thinners such as warfarin or medicines that cause drowsiness or sedation. You need to be cautious if you’re also taking a potentially toxic medicine such as cyclosporine.

Can you take berberine long-term?

There’s little data on using berberine long-term. That’s true of other supplements as well, which is why some practitioners recommend taking periodic breaks from supplements.

One approach may be to start by taking berberine for three months, then have your blood tested to see if your A1C went down and check your weight again.

Some people will benefit from short-term use and others will see the benefits of continuing berberine supplementation over time.

The bottom line

Consider berberine an option for you to lose some weight and reduce your blood sugar levels. Sometimes, a supplement such as berberine is effective until it isn’t. In that case, you may have to take medication such as a GLP-1 or metformin to meet your goals.

Never try a supplement without first asking your health care provider. Just because something is available over the counter doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. We’re all different, so we react to supplements and medications differently.