Barberry has been part of traditional Chinese medicine for more than a thousand years. The herbal molecule from barberry is still primarily used in Asian culture to treat diarrhea, inflammation and infections.
In the search for possible ways to extend the health span, researchers have only been investigating berberine's molecular mode of action more thoroughly for a few years. They found that berberine can have a positive effect on blood sugar levels . Insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus are both very common in the population and pharmaceutical giants such as Novo Nordisk with drugs such as Ozempic® and Wegovy® are trying to develop effective substances to combat them.
In this article, you will learn more about how berberine can support your sugar metabolism, what role it plays in longevity research and why a combination with phospholipids ensures improved bioavailability. We give you an overview of the study situation and answer the question of the dosages in which berberine has been used. We have also researched what is true about the claim that berberine is the herbal and natural counterpart to Ozempic®.
What is berberine
Berberine is a naturally occurring dye extracted from the bark of the barberry plant. It is one of the oldest and most commonly used dyes and is used by us humans for many different purposes, z.Bin the food industry, in the textile and printing industries and in cosmetics. Berberine also has a long history as a remedy. More on this later.
Occurrence of berberine in food
Berberine occurs naturally in some plants. Foods include the famous barberry, the root of the goldenrod and the root of the Mahonia plant. Berberine is also found in a number of other barberry plants, the so-called Berberidaceae, which can be found in some gardens. The common barberry is a popular hedge plant in Germany due to its thorny branches. Its red fruits are particularly eye-catching in summer. The fruit itself tastes rather sour. But please be careful: The plant itself, apart from the berries, is poisonous! The berries, on the other hand, are rich in vitamin C and secondary plant substances such as the aforementioned berberine.
Berberine as a dietary supplement
Because of the many positive properties that the substance is said to have, berberine is also offered as a dietary supplement in capsule or tablet form. Dried barberries are also commercially available. These can be used to refine dishes z.B. rice dishes. In Germany, however, barberry is rarely used as a spice in the kitchen - it is more common in the Middle East.
Berberine itself has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years - for example as a remedy for digestive problems and inflammation. In addition, some studies indicate that berberine supports the metabolism, weight loss, the improvement of insulin sensitivity and the support of heart health . These properties are mediated by the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the vital substance. However, berberine is not only said to have positive effects in terms of maintaining health - the molecule is also said to help with illness. According to studies, for example, for gastrointestinal infections.
We'll take a look at exactly how berberine affects the various areas in a moment.
Short disclaimer:
The use of berberine should be discussed in advance with your trusted doctor if you regularly take medication, as the molecule (like so many herbal substances) can influence the effect of medication.
Sugar sickness - not a rare phenomenon
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, 7.2% of Germans between the ages of 18 and 79 have diabetes mellitus, or in other words, they are diabetic. That's several million people in Germany and the number of people with Insulin resistance, the precursor to diabetes, is probably even higher.
If type 2 diabetes is present, the body can no longer lower the high blood sugar levels sufficiently. The hormone insulin, which brings sugar from the blood into the cells, is no longer effective enough.
Medicine provides a whole arsenal of different drugs in the fight against diabetes. But you don't even have to let it get that far!
Ozempic® and Wegovy® - the pharmaceutical answer to the sugar epidemic
There are several approaches to treating diabetes. In the early stages, so-called "lifestyle changes" can be sufficient. This refers to more exercise and a change in diet. If this is not enough, medication that interferes with the sugar metabolism is added.
The drug Ozempic® with the active ingredient semaglutide was developed for precisely this purpose. It mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) This hormone causes more insulin to be released when food is consumed, which makes it a very effective medication for type 2 diabetes. At the same time, however, it also affects the feeling of hungerby suppressing it.
Weight loss due to Ozempic®
The "side effect": people lose weight. And not too little. People have lost up to 20% of their body weight under treatment with Ozempic®. Stars such as the Kardashians and Elon Musk have also used the drug, not because they are diabetic, but because they wanted to lose weight. Incredible hype about the drug broke out on social media. At times, there were supply bottlenecks because Ozempic® was prescribed so often "off-label" that it was no longer available for the true target group (namely diabetics). Because: Ozempic® is only approved for type 2 diabetes.
Novo Nordisk then launched the same active ingredient, semaglutide , in a different dosage with Wegovy®. This time, however, for a different indication. Wegovy® may now be prescribed as a weight loss aid for a BMI > 30.
Berberine - the natural Ozempic®?
In addition to the rush for Ozempic®, Berberine was traded as a natural and cost-effective alternative to the drug, especially in the USA. What's behind the hype
First of all, both Berberine and Ozempic® have an effect on sugar metabolism - but that's where the similarities end.
Ozempic®, with the active substance semaglutide, has an effect on the hormone GLP-1 , while Berberine increases the secretion of insulin via the so-called AMPK pathway . This makes berberine more similar to the drug metformin in its mode of action.
Berbersome combines the (sugar) metabolic benefits of berberine, chromium and zinc.
Why sugar metabolism is important for healthspan
Our body needs a lot of sugar every day to ensure that metabolic processes run smoothly. However, if the glucose in our blood becomes too much, it sticks to everything it can attach itself to and so-called Advanced Glycation Endproducts, or AGEs for short, are formed as a result. These AGEs are also found in our food - especially highly processed foods contain a particularly large number of them.
These AGEs can wreak havoc in our bodies. Vessels lose their elasticity, leading to hypertension. The small blood vessels are particularly affected, which impairs vision and causes the fine nerve endings to die.
Doctors such as Dr. Peter Attia like to describe a sugar metabolism that has gone off the rails as the basis on which other diseases are built.
But now for the good news: The blood sugar metabolism is extremely easy to influence! The sooner you start, the easier it is.
Did you know? Healthy people can excrete up to a third of the AGEs they consume through food in their urine. In people with diabetes, it is only about 5%. This means that significantly more of the harmful AGEs remain in the body.
Carnosine, a dipeptide found mainly in animal foods, has been shown in studies to prevent the development of AGEs . The small molecule also has a positive effect on the protective caps of our DNA, the telomeres, and can protect the muscles of athletes from "over-acidification".
Berberine and the sugar metabolism
How does berberine affect the sugar metabolism? In this scientific review several studies on the use of berberine in humans were summarized.
The most important findings were as follows:
- Berberine was able to lower the long-term glucose (HbA1c)
- Berberine lowered blood sugar in a similar way to the drug metformin
- Berberin lowered fasting blood glucose
- Berberine may contribute to lower blood glucose 2 hours after food intake
- Berberine increases insulin sensitivity
- Berberine lowers blood lipid levels
The clever combination of berberine with phospholipids ensures a 10-fold increase in bioavailability compared to conventional berberine powder.
Berberine and the sugar metabolism - a deeper insight
How exactly does berberine manage to influence the sugar metabolism? According to this meta-analysis there are two main ways:
Firstly, berberine stimulates the secretion of insulin via the AMPK pathway and secondly, berberine can make the cells more sensitive to insulin again. Both processes play a role in diabetes in particular. In addition to berberine, the trace elements chromium and zinc are also essential for the normal functioning of our sugar and carbohydrate metabolism.
Berberine and longevity
Studies show that berberine has a positive effect on the body and longevity via regulation of multiple signaling and longevity pathways, including AMPK, NF-κB and sirtuins.
Supplementation with berberine in C. elegans worms extended their lifespan by favorably influencing the aging process. This effect was mediated by the reduction of cell stress and the increase in gene expression, which are important for longevity. In another study on worms, berberine improved the stress tolerance of worms and thus also the lifespan and health span. The results of these studies have been replicated in other organisms such as flies and mice.
These many animal studies thus paint a positive picture with numerous effects of berberine on the molecular hallmarks of ageing. Although further human research is still needed, the prospect of improved insulin sensitivity, a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation is consistently promising.
Berberine in phospholipid form (bioavailability)
Bioavailability plays an important role in food supplements, particularly in the case of plant-based substances. Ultimately, the decisive factor is not how much of a nutrient you take, but how much of this nutrient is actually absorbed (via the intestine) into the blood. This is referred to as bioavailability.
A bioavailability of 100% would therefore mean that everything you take of the substance is also absorbed in the intestine. The decisive factor for bioavailability is the form in which the substance is bound. For example, magnesium can be present as magnesium oxide or magnesium glycinate. However, magnesium glycinate (contained in our QNESIUM complex, among others) has a significantly higher bioavailability, meaning that more elemental magnesium is absorbed.
We can also observe the same effect with berberine! With the innovative berberine complex from MoleQlar we therefore use high-purity berberine coated in a phospholipidlayer, to increase the bioavailability of the molecule. The result: a 10-fold better bioavailability than normal berberine capsules.
Dosages of berberine
How much berberine is needed to achieve the health-promoting effects? This question is not always easy to answer. Various dosages have been tried in human studies, from 100 mg to over 6000 mg per day.
Looking at the studies on berberine and type 2 diabetes mellitus, a daily dosage of between 1500 and 2000 mg appears to be the most effective. In order to achieve the full effect on blood glucose parameters, such as HbA1c, the subjects had to take berberine regularly for at least 12 weeks.
For example, in a three-month study with a daily intake of 1500 mg berberine in type 2 diabetes patients, there was a 73 percent reduction in the HOMA index . This is a value for the extent of the body's insulin resistance.
Fazit
Berberine is a natural molecule that has a particularly positive effect on blood glucose metabolism . Even though it is often touted as a "natural Ozempic® alternative", the effect of berberine is slightly different. Especially with carbohydrate-rich meals, the intake of berberine could contribute to a lower increase in blood sugar.
In addition, berberine has a positive effect on various longevity pathways, such as sirtuins. In animal studies, this has already led to an extended lifespan.
