Berberine for blood sugar regulation / Diabetes
Learn about the benefits of Berberine for blood sugar regulation
In functional medicine one of the most common causes we see for many health disorders is imbalanced blood sugar. An imbalance in blood sugar is blood sugar either too high, too low, or too high and low. Lets just call is dysregulation. This an cause or contribute to all kinds of health issues from depression, anxiety, hormone problems, dementia - this is part of the reason Alzheimers is often referred to as “type 3 diabetes”, it can also cause brain fog, energy issues, and autoimmunity to name just a very few.
So having powerful tool in combating process can be a game changer. This botanical tool may be berberine.
An epidemic of blood sugar imbalances
According to the CDC, nearly 84 million American adults — more than one out of three — have prediabetes, or metabolic syndrome. And we see this in our office all the time. My “line in the sand” is an A1C of 5.5. If you are from 5.5 to 6.0 you are pre diabetic. Above a 6.0 and you are diabetic. Above 6.5 you are probably going on medications at your conventional drs.
Ninety percent of people with prediabetes don’t even know they have it. But they have some other symtpom that often brings them into our office or some other functional medicine doctor. “IF you dare!”
Berberine for high blood sugar and diabetes
Berberine is found within the stems, bark, roots, and rhizomes of numerous plants such as barberry, goldenseal, Oregon grape, tree turmeric (different than Curcuma Longa), and Chinese goldthread.
Berberine has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years to treat digestive issues and infections since it is also a natural anti-microbial. The extract has a deep yellow color and is also commonly used as a dye as well.
Recently, berberine has become known for its ability to reduce high blood glucose. By working at a cellular level, it helps move glucose (ie sugar) from your blood into your cells where it's most needed.
Berberine also promotes healthy blood sugar levels that are already in normal range.
Berberine works by activating AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase), an enzyme that that regulates how the body produces and uses energy. Sounds pretty useful.
AMPK senses and responds to changes in energy metabolism on both the cellular and the whole-body level. It regulates biological activities that normalize lipid, glucose, and energy imbalances.
Some other AMPK activators you may have heard of are:
Metformin
ALA
Curcumin
Omegas
ACV - Apple cider vinegar
Adaptogens - check out our online store for some great ones. Link below
Certain mushrooms
Ginseng
Carnitine
Also - Cold therapy and cryotherapy.
Metabolic syndrome or “pre-diabetes” happens when AMPK-regulated pathways are turned off. This triggers fat storage and burning abnormalities, high blood sugar, diabetes, and energy imbalances such as chronic fatigue.
Depleted energy activates AMPK while excess energy inhibits it. In other words, high blood sugar inhibits AMPK while exercise and calorie restriction activates it.
Higher Levels of AMPK = Good. Berberine Increases AMPK. Equals GOOD.
Berberine's effect are similar to what you'd see in someone who increased exercise while restricting calorie intake because it activates AMPK, making it a useful tool in the management of type 2 diabetes.
Berberine is as effective as metformin
Other known AMPK activators include resveratrol and the diabetes drug metformin, which we already talked about. Berberine is so effective at balancing blood sugar that both animal and human studies compare it to metformin in its effectiveness. This isnt the first time man has tried to copy nature. But, different topic.
Berberine has also been shown to be as effective in treating other conditions that respond positively to metformin, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the reduction of weight gain triggered by antipsychotics, and potentially cancer.
Berberine's many qualities
While berberine is most commonly considered for metabolic syndrome, inflammation, and cancer, its potentially helpful for a long list of other disorders, including high cholesterol, obesity, small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), leaky gut, lung inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, and heart disease.
Below are some additional functions of berberine:
Supports healthy blood cholesterol levels.
Has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities.
Has a moderate weight-loss effect.
Exhibits antibacterial qualities. Which is why we often use it in gut issues.
Reduces the effects of tobacco smoke-induced lung inflammation.
Enhances neuro-protective factors.
Stimulates the release of nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that relaxes arteries, increasing blood flow, and protecting against atherosclerosis (or hardening of the ateries)
Stimulates bile secretion and bilirubin discharge. Gallbladder function
It also Reduces dysfunction of the intestinal mucosal barrier helping leaky gut issues.
How much berberine should I take?
For diabetes and blood sugar support, the recommended dose is 500 mg two or three times a day. It's important to spread your dose out throughout the day because berberine has a short half-life in the body and taking it all at once might rob you of the full benefits. Make sure to take berberine prior to or with a meal. Low and slow wins the race.
Studies show that gut bacteria play an important role in transforming berberine into its usable form. Therefore, supporting microbiome diversity and abundance is a smart way to increase its effectiveness. Make sure to eat varied and plentiful produce (go easy on the sugary fruits) and consider supplementing short chain fatty acid supplementation (SCFA) to help your gut bacteria thrive. Of course pending your doctors recommendations and stool analysis results.
How long should I take berberine?
Continual use of berberine can impact cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in the liver which may affect drug-to-drug interactions. Therefore, it's recommended to use it in a pulsed 8-week cycle with two to four weeks off, then starting again if symptoms have not resolved.
Research has shown that combining berberine with cinnamon may increase its bioavailability. What's more, cinnamon has also been shown to support insulin sensitivity.
Check out our link to Glucosupporrt which is our supplement just for that.
Berberine cautions
While berberine is highly recommended for high blood sugar issues, it does come with some cautions:
Berberine is considered UNSAFE for pregnant women and nursing mothers. It may cross the placenta during pregnancy, and some newborns exposed to berberine developed a type of brain damage. It also can be transferred to babies through breast milk.
Berberine can interact with a number of medications, increasing the risk of adverse reactions. This has to do with those P450 enzymes we talked about.
Taking berberine when you are on medications that reduce blood sugar can push your blood glucose levels too low causing hypoglycemi and potentially passing out.
Berberine can lower blood pressure, so it should be used with caution by anyone who already has low blood pressure. Possibly causing you to pass out again.
If you are concerned about your blood sugar status and want to discuss non-medical methods for helping regulate your blood sugar, contact my office for an appointment
Links and resources:
https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2012-12/clinical-applications-berberine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3942282/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5290458/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2901047/
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep12155
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11370717
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