Berberine—How to put it to good use for your health
What do Oregon Grape Root, Goldenseal, Goldenthread, and Barberry have in common? They all contain significant amounts of the active compound Berberine. Berberine, itself, is not a plant. However, it is a major constituent in at least two dozen botanicals, contributing its signature bitter taste and physiological action. Maybe you have heard all the hype around berberine supplements: Lose weight! Lower your blood sugar! Kill bacteria! Lower your cholesterol! Look like a supermodel! Let’s break it all down and get to the facts.
Where does Berberine come from?
The highest concentrations of berberine are typically found in the roots, and it lends a yellow pigmentation that can be seen when you scrape off the bark from Oregon grape root or goldenseal root. The fact that berberine is most concentrated in the roots, which are immersed in a diverse soil microbiome, gives us some insight into its activity on microbes. Many online descriptions call berberine anti-bacterial, but its effect is likely more modulating and balancing, assisting immune cells in the gut to identify and destroy pathogens. Plants rich in berberine alkaloids are bitter and astringent, and are important in the pharmacopeia of Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Western herbalism. In Ayurvedic Medicine, Indian Barberry is used as a digestive and circulatory tonic. It is considered a destroyer of ama (toxins) and a lekhana (fat reducer). Like many bitter tonics in Ayurveda it is known to have blood cleansing, fever reducing, anti-parasitic, and laxative effects. Its cleansing action is very specific to the liver, and it has a more warming energetic than most bitters, making it a suitable herb for more doshas (constitutional types). Often it is combined with turmeric root as a synergist to its bitter action and to improve its ability to reduce fat and balance blood sugar. Remember that this knowledge of its actions dates back thousands of years!
How does Berberine work?
Being an extract of the aforementioned botanicals, berberine is concentrated and even more bitter than the whole powdered root. Thus, it will have a stronger action. For this reason it is crucial that we look at some research on berberine extracts, specifically. Berberine works in several ways in our bodies. In-vitro and in-vivo studies have shown that berberine inhibits fat-forming genes, and it increases the gene expression for muscle metabolism and the demand for glucose, fats, and oxygen. It activates AMPK pathways, yielding more energy production, and shuttles free fatty acids and glucose into the mitochondria of our cells. Mitochondria are our power plants, and they make the energy molecule, ATP. Additionally, berberine enhances the genetic expression for receptors that clear LDL from the blood stream, especially in the liver. In the digestive tract it inhibits the uptake of dietary cholesterol, from the cholesterol-rich foods we might eat. There are not many herbs or foods that improve HDL, commonly considered the “healthy” cholesterol, but berberine does.
What have human clinical trials shown?
In human clinical studies berberine has been shown to improve health in the areas of blood sugar balance, lipid profile, blood pressure, inflammatory response, weight and body composition, cognitive function, and reproductive function. In fact, many of the clinical studies on berberine were conducted on subjects diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). In the microbiome, studies have shown that berberine had a beneficial effect on pathways that affect blood sugar metabolism, liver health, obesity, lipid balance, and inflammation. Berberine is beneficial to so many different organs of our bodies because it has what is called a “pleiotropic” action, meaning it modulates the action of multiple different types of receptors.
Let’s just pause a moment here and reflect on the “modern research” that has demonstrated the effects of berberine, confirming what has been documented in Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Native American Medicine for thousands of years!
What about PCOS?
Now let’s dive a little deeper into PCOS. PCOS is commonly considered a female (must have ovaries) hormonal imbalance. It causes cysts to form on the ovaries, but other symptoms that may accompany this imbalance include irregular menses, facial hair, increased acne, accumulation of abdominal fat, elevated insulin, and blood sugar imbalances. The inflammatory cascade associated with PCOS can interact with the thyroid leading to hair loss and weight gain. Many women diagnosed with PCOS struggle with infertility. In Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, berberine containing herbals and other bitters are recommended for the symptoms we see in those diagnosed with PCOS. Thus, it is no surprise to see that in women with PCOS, berberine improves blood sugar, insulin, fat deposition, inflammatory response, skin health, and hormone balance.
How does bitter taste support health?
In the last two decades research has demonstrated that we not only have bitter taste receptors on the back of our tongues but also on our ovaries, testes, stomach, intestines, liver, lungs, pancreas, and in the brain and on immune cells. They do not send taste signals to the brain, but instead sense certain nutrients and initiate signaling hormones to elicit further responses extra-orally. If our diet does not include this important taste, among the 6 therapeutic tastes in Ayurveda, disease can develop. The Standard American Diet (SAD) does not include bitter taste in anything but black coffee and the parsley that decorates a plate of chicken fried steak and potatoes. No wonder those who drink coffee as a part of the SAD have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. By adding berberine and other bitters to a therapeutic regimen, we start to see improvements in health that reflect improvements in organ function. To read more on this, see this article published in the March 2020 issue of Natural Practitioner Magazine Ovaries and Intestines Have Taste Receptors? (naturalpractitionermag.com).
Are there any side effects?
What about side effects from berberine and berberine containing herbals? Bitter herbs are known to cause digestive distress, sometimes as a part of the cleansing process. They can cause constipation in some people, and diarrhea in others. Cramping, bloating, and nausea occur for some people. In Ayurveda, Chinese and Western herbalism, preparations high in berberine would be combined with other herbs as a part of a formula designed specifically for each individual’s needs and constitution. But over the counter offerings of herbal extracts concentrated to berberine content are often sold as a solo ingredient. Berberine is not easily absorbed from the digestive tract, most of it stays in the gut unless it is combined with synergists to improve bioavailability. A commonly available extract of berberine is combined with hydrochloric acid to minimize the digestive distress, and this is sold as Berberine HCl. Still, less than 1% of the berberine in this formulation is absorbed into the bloodstream. Even so, it may have a tremendous effect on the microbiome and affect peripheral pathways through microbial signaling. But to get the berberine in the bloodstream where it can meet up with the bitter taste receptors and affect change directly in multiple systems, either the dose must be higher or the form of berberine must be more bioavailable. Enter Berbevis® Berberine Phytosome®.
Berbevis® Berberine Phytosome®
Berbevis® is a branded ingredient offered by Indena. The source herb is Indian Barberry, also called Tree Turmeric or Wood Turmeric. Berbevis® Berberine Phytosome® has been studied in vitro, in vivo, and in human clinical trials. Clinical studies show benefits in body composition with fat redistribution away from the organs, glucose and insulin metabolism, and bioavailability with respect to both absorption and half-life potency. Additionally, this formulation has been shown to positively influence hormone balance and inflammatory response. If Berbevis® offers all the same benefits as Berberine HCl, why pay more for it? It has been shown to be up to 9.6x more bioavailable than Berberine HCl. The phytosomal delivery system of Berbevis® uses pea protein as a carrier, raw Berberis aristata extract with all its balancing constituents present in addition to the berberine, and grape seed extract to protect the gut lining and improve tolerability. This all means that Berbevis® provides the same benefits as Berberine HCl, often at a lower dose, with improved digestive tolerability. And that means you are more likely to stay on it long enough to accomplish your health goals!
Who should not use Berberine?
What else do you need to know about berberine? Always check with your pharmacist or health care provider if you are on other medications. Berberine alkaloids interact with multiple medications, including metformin, some blood thinners, and antibiotics. In both modern and ancient medical wisdom, berberine is not recommended for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. In Ayurvedic Medicine we do not recommend berberine, or any bitters, to someone with tissue-wasting—meaning they cannot maintain an adequate weight and muscle mass. This may include those with chronic illness and many elderly people.
References
Frawley, David and Lad, Vasant, The Yoga of Herbs, Lotus Press 2001, pg. 102
The effect of Berberine on weight loss in order to prevent obesity: A systematic review - ScienceDirect https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332220303292?via%3Dihub
Extraoral bitter taste receptors in health and disease - PMC (nih.gov) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5299619/
Ovaries and Intestines Have Taste Receptors? (naturalpractitionermag.com) https://naturalpractitionermag.com/ovaries-and-intestines-have-taste-receptors/
Berberine Phospholipid Is an Effective Insulin Sensitizer and Improves Metabolic and Hormonal Disorders in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A One-Group Pretest–Post-Test Explanatory Study Nutrients 2021, 13(10), 3665; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103665
Indena | Berbevis® https://www.indena.com/product/berbevis/