Berberine is a great example of a herbal extract that has gained a lot of hype.
Berberine gained notoriety as a natural health supplement aimed at weight loss, combatting the worst effects of adiposity and its medical conditions.
Can berberine help you lose weight? That’s the big question, but definitely not the only one. Today we’re going to summarise everything you need to know about berberine and its effects on – and during – weight loss…
Berberine is a herbal extract that is found in a range of plants. It’s most commonly extracted from
Berberine is a popular herb in Chinese traditional medicine, where it has centuries of history as a general wellbeing support. In modern times, it’s gained scientific support for a few benefits that are related to metabolism.
As you might expect, this has led to questions:
Today, we’re going to dive into these questions. It’s clear that berberine is healthy, but does it live up to the hype? Many other herbal ingredients have had similar hype, with only some offering real weight loss and health benefits in the long-term.
First, berberine is an alkaloid – a member of a family of compounds that have a range of benefits. Other examples include caffeine and green tea extract, which have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
These are the general benefits you can expect from a wide range of herbal plant extracts. Things like reduced inflammation and lower oxidative damage risk are central to overall health and wellbeing. These are similar to the benefits you’d get from dark green vegetables, for example.
This puts berberine in a good place to start with, as a member of a group of compounds well known for positive health effects. They may be general benefits, but those are general health benefits – which we all benefit from!
More specifically, what can berberine do for you?
The central benefit of berberine isn’t related to weight loss – but it is a metabolic benefit. Berberine helps control your insulin and blood sugar levels, supporting better health and regularity. This is a tonic against problems like pre-diabetes and clinical insulin resistance
These are common problems associated with weight loss, but most of the research shows it’s the other way around. Reducing blood sugar levels doesn’t solve obesity, but becoming obese does damage your blood sugar regulation.
So when berberine improves your blood sugar regulation, it won’t just help you lose weight. It does boost health and sustainable wellbeing, however, which is always a fantastic benefit – especially when you’re trying to fight these possible conditions.
Berberine is also useful in metabolism of fats and not just carbs or sugars. It improves the function of your cholesterol, improving “good” cholesterol levels and reducing “bad” cholesterol levels. This two-function benefit is a great way to support better health and reduce blood pressure.
It also improves arterial function by changing the inflammatory status of the blood vessels. The other side of this is that the uptake of nutrients into muscles – both fats and carbs – improving metabolism in those tissues. This is likely to improve the health and consistent performance and recovery of muscles.
Getting nutrients where they’re meant to be is one fantastic set of benefits. It’s a major change for your blood and metabolic health, and a minor one benefitting your muscular performance, metabolism, and recovery.
No – berberine does not reliably cause weight loss. It’s a good compound to take alongside a weight loss diet and exercise routine, but it won’t do the work for you.
There’s more to berberine than weight loss. It’s a general health and wellbeing supplement that provides many of the same benefits as weight loss, but it’s an adjunct. It adds benefits on top of a good diet and exercise routine, but will not effectively replace them.
As is often the case, the best solution is both. You can get more from your weight loss diet through the use of berberine. It adds to the cardiometabolic benefits of positive habits, which can accelerate the health benefits of losing extra pounds. It may also support better workouts, better fat-loss (instead of muscle loss), and better health overall.
It’s hard to argue with these comprehensive benefits, even if it doesn’t actually help you lose weight.
Safe use of berberine is important. While it’s generally a safe supplement, it does have side-effects if used irresponsibly.
Improper doses of berberine can lead to digestive issues. Things like cramping, digestive distress, and changes to “movements” can occur. Make sure to follow use guidelines for berberine – typically in the 800mg to 2g per day region.
This is also easier if you take berberine in multiple sittings, rather than all at once. Taking berberine with plenty of water early in the morning and then again in the afternoon/evening is a smarter choice for better results and a reduced risk of digestive side effects.
If you have any prescription medications or preconditions, consult your doctor before using berberine.
Berberine isn’t a short cut to weight loss – but it is a major addition to your weight loss. It’s a force multiplier on the health benefits associated with weight loss, making the most of your efforts and helping you make more positive change faster.
This is a set of benefits that are worth your time even without weight loss benefits. It’s a simple supplement that is available at a low price, as well as being found in high concentrations in popular herbal extracts like buttercup.
If you can add berberine to your diet, you’ll see accelerated change and results that outpace just diet and exercise. It’s not going to do the work for you, but it will definitely make sure your work pays off for health and fitness!
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