Berberine and Metabolic Syndrome

Do you feel:

• Weight gain?
• Hormones imbalances?
• Craving sweet during the day?
• Difficulty losing weight?
• Eating sweets does not relieve the craving for sugar?

If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might be experiencing an imbalance of your blood glucose. Why not try adding berberine into your daily diet and lifestyle.

For many individuals reclaiming their health, the incidence of metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes along with many other conditions that can be related to insulin resistance. Many local healthcare practitioners need all the tools to inform their patients as a powerful supplement that has been receiving recognition for its efficacy in improving the multiple parameters for metabolic health and improving glycemic control. This supplement is known as berberine, and the studies have shown that berberine is as effective as metformin and can help patients who have type 2 diabetes.

What Is Berberine?

Berberine is an alkaloid compound that is found in several plants like goldenseal, barberry, and tree turmeric. When berberine is crushed, it has a yellow color hue that is similar to curcumin and has been part of Chinese and Ayurvedic traditional medicine that has been used for thousands of years. Surprisingly berberine has worked in multiple ways and has been able to make some changes within the body’s cells and metabolic system. There has been research showing that berberine can transport in the bloodstream once it has been ingested and can activate the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) enzyme. Once this happens, the enzyme is referred to as a “metabolic master switch” and can help regulate the significant organs and regulating the body’s metabolism.

The Health Benefits from Berberine

Research shows that berberine can provide many health benefits to the body, especially those who have been affected with type 2 diabetes and have metabolic syndrome. Here are some of the health benefits that berberine has to offer.

Bacterial Infections

Studies have found that berberine is an active antimicrobial agent. Studies have shown that berberine can enhance the inhibitory efficacy of antibiotics against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. This type of bacteria can cause many health problems in the body, like sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. There is even another study that shows that when a person consumes a high concentration of berberine could kill the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria more quickly. The berberine effects can dissociate the bacteria protein into individual chains and separate them into their molecular weight.

Regulates Blood Glucose

Type 2 diabetes is a common disease that can make a person’s blood sugar to either rise or fall, causing them to DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). With berberine, it can help regulate blood glucose in the body. Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes has become a worldwide health threat for people, and finding treatment for this disease is limited due to the availability of effective medications that can help control the blood glucose levels. With berberine, it can help reduce insulin resistance and surprisingly, regulate the blood glucose to healthy levels like metformin. The research even shows that berberine can also help regulate the body’s lipid metabolism as well.

More results showed that berberine could do the following:

• Lower the insulin resistance to make the blood sugar to lower the hormone insulin more effectively.
• It helps increase the glycolysis so the body can break down the sugars.
• Decease the sugar produced in the liver.
• It helps break down the carbohydrates in the gut microbiome.
• It helps increase the beneficial bacteria in the gut to prevent inflammation.

Help Losing Weight

Studies have shown that berberine is an effective weight loss supplement for anyone who may be obese. There was a twelve-week study that showed that the participates took about 500 mg of berberine, and they lost about five pounds of body fat. While another study stated that about 37 participants that have metabolic syndrome took about 300 mg of berberine, and the results showed that the participants have dropped their BMI (body mass index) levels go from obese to overweight in three months. The participants even improved many of their health markers and lose their belly fat.

Many researchers believed that when people take berberine and see that they are losing their excess weight, it can help improve their fat-regulating hormones like insulin, adiponectin, and leptin in their body. There is still more research being done about berberine and how its beneficial weight loss effects can help anyone with metabolic syndrome and might be overly obese.

Conclusion

Berberine is a compound that is found in plants like tree turmeric, goldenseal, and barberry. It has a yellow color cue and has many beneficial properties. Berberine can help anyone who has type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. For the beneficial properties, berberine can help regulate the body’s glucose hormones and has the same effects as the pharmaceutical drug, metformin. When people consume berberine, their metabolic system will begin to function correctly and begun to live a healthier life. Some products can help the metabolic system and the immune system by supporting sugar metabolism as well as reducing the glutathione for providing more excellent stability, bioavailability, and digestive comfort in the body.

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

References:

Berry, Jennifer. “Everything You Need to Know about Berberine.” MedicalNewsToday, 19 July 2019, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325798.php.

Chu, Ming, et al. “Role of Berberine in the Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections.” Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group, 22 Apr. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4840435/.

Gunnars, Kris. “Berberine – A Powerful Supplement With Many Benefits.” Healthline, 14 Jan. 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/berberine-powerful-supplement.

Hu, Yueshan, et al. “Lipid-Lowering Effect of Berberine in Human Subjects and Rats.” Phytomedicine, Urban & Fischer, 25 June 2012, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711312001870.

Li, Zheng, et al. “Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Berberine in the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Hindawi, 11 Feb. 2014, www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/289264/.

Peng, Lianci, et al. “Antibacterial Activity and Mechanism of Berberine against Streptococcus Agalactiae.” International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, e-Century Publishing Corporation, 1 May 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4503092/.

Team, DFH. “Berberine: Boon for Metabolic Syndrome.” Designs for Health, 5 Jan. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/berberine-boon-for-metabolic-syndrome.

Yang, Jing, et al. “Berberine Improves Insulin Sensitivity by Inhibiting Fat Store and Adjusting Adipokines Profile in Human Preadipocytes and Metabolic Syndrome Patients.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: ECAM, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3310165/.

Yin, Jun, et al. “Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.” Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/.

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