Review of Berberine for Weight Loss

Berberine is one of the naturally occurring alkaloids found in some of the plants.  It also has several positive effects on people’s health, for example it can help in the weight loss if perhaps a person needs to lose weight. They have been employed for many years by the traditional medicine practitioners, globally.

Berberine is obtainable in the form of an over the-counter (OTC) dietary supplement. But it is not recommended for the treatment of medical disorders in America and other countries. It has recently gained attention as a fat burner.

The studies are continuing in order to know that whether berberine has an effect to make people lose their weight. Some of the side effects and risks are also under review by the researchers.

The present article reviews the effects of berberine and whether it has an influence on the weight loss. It also includes other related benefits, safe measures to observe when using the compound and the possible dangers associated with compound.

What is berberine?

Berberine is commonly referred to as “natural alkaloid compound”.

Natural alkaloids can also be described as nitrogen containing organic compounds that exist in natural state. It is a fact that natural alkaloids could be defined as compounds functioning in the plants and possessing pharmacological properties.

In scientific language, it is known as berberine hydrochloride.

Sources of berberine

Berberine is a chemical compound found in different plants. These plants include shrubs from whole world belonging to Berberis family, as well as;

• Barberry
• Goldenseal
• Golden thread
• Oregon grape
• Tree turmeric

What role does berberine play in the weight loss? 

Other trials indicate that this compound might be useful for the treatment of obesity, although this claim still remains unproven.

In several early investigational studies, it has been found that berberine can help a person reduce additional weight. However, number of published clinical trials that include human subjects, conducted by the researchers is small. For this reason, there will be insufficient material to support the verification or falsification of ‘the hypothesis.’

Some researchers have said that this particular chemical compound helps to inhibit the formation of fat molecules in body of a person. It also may help in the control of a person’s metabolism, with regards to his basal metabolic index. These effects may help in the process of weight loss, but the exact action in the body has not yet been explained.

Research findings

The findings of several recent studies on berberine and the weight loss are below:

• After reviewing the published research from 2006 to 2019 to analyze for meta-analysis in 2020, an investigation pointed out that berberine aids in the prevention and management of obesity.

• Other 2022 similar research works also showed that the said drug was useful in extending the duration of the necessary weight loss effect and combating obesity.

• Another 2020 review investigating several effects of berberine supplements on body found that taking berberine can reduce the following:

• body weight
• Body Mass Index that defines the amount of fat in a man based on his height and weight
• waist circumference

• Researches that have been published in 2023 discuss a clinical trial that compared to the placebo group, where patients with obesity were given 1.5 g of berberine per day during 24 weeks. Further, they found out that there is a significant reduction in BMI as well as the waist circumference among these people by this compound.

Potential uses of berberine

Scientific sources report that Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine practitioners employed berberine to treat diseases across a broad range of spectrums for millennia. Some have also used it to produce yellow colouring.

Currently, it’s used with many health objectives in mind including use in treatment of infections and other diseases as stated by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. It comes in the form of capsule supplement.

It is also being studied in relation to diabetes and the distinct causes of heart disease of an individual.

Sometimes it may be used as a probable fat burner supplement.

Effect of Berberine in the Regulation of Fatty Acid Metabolism 

Not only might berberine have direct action in the reduction of the bodies fat but also imparts an ability to handle fat, something that is central to both, weight loss and weight gain.

Here’s a closer look at how it works:

• Boosting Fat Breakdown

AMPK is an enzyme most famously known as the body’s ‘metabolic master switch ‘and berberine has been shown to have a positive effect on this enzyme. When the latter is active in body, it has role of preventing fat in body of ours. A part of this process is to help the body to burn stored fat to supply energy, beneficial to the weight loss program.

• Preventing Fat Cell Growth

Some studies are conducted which indicates that berberine decreases the formation and development of fat tissues that is adipocytes. Since berberine inhibits adipogenesis — the formation of fat cells — it could reduce certain people’s weight gain.

• Enhancing Energy Expenditure

By enhancing AMPK activation, Berberine also promotes the increase in the needed energy expenditure. That is, your metabolism speeds up throughout the day, and even at rest, your body utilizes more calories. This leads to utilization of more energy, which in general helps to create a calorie deficit, required when slimming.

Other benefits of berberine

The berberine supplement is not considered appropriate for treating any disease in the United States of America.

However, some people use berberine as a complementary treatment for the following:

• infections
• skin diseases
• digestive requirements

Current researches have centered on assessing its effectiveness in control of diabetes and other risk factors towards cardiovascular diseases.

Research suggests berberine may help prevent:

• atherosclerosis which is characterized by the narrowing of arteries, poses high chances of heart attack as well as stroke.
• type 2 diabetes, a potentially serious condition where a person has too much sugar in their blood
• cardiovascular diseases which include the heart and blood circulation system
• neurological diseases, which are diseases of the brain, nervous system and spinal cord
• cancer

According to other references, it has been established that berberine could be useful in treating some of the signs of arthritis.

Also, current studies show that Berberine lowers high blood pressure if combined with amlodipine. 

What are the side-effects of using berberine?  

Berberine may cause side effects, including:

• nausea
• diarrhea
• bloating
• constipation
• abdominal pain

However, these effects appear to be less dramatic, and the incidence of such cases is less often identified.

Berberine can also interfere with medicine in other ways that can be considered to be wrong. Patients on any medication should consult with a doctor before starting any berberine supplements.

Berberine may also have side effects in the infants or pregnant people and may be hazardous to their health and should not be taken by them. It has been associated with development or worsening of jaundice in infants.

A number of authors associate the intake of berberine with higher levels of bilirubin in infants. It also causes a severe, possibly fatal disease called kernicterus which results in brain damage as well.

Parents should consult a doctor before administering berberine supplements to their babies or kids.  They should also do so, if they are pregnant or nursing before they prepare the supplement for themselves.

How to Take Berberine To Help Cause Weight Loss 

• Combine with a Balanced Diet: 

To achieve optimal results, it should be taken together with whole food, vegetables, lean meats and healthy fats.

• Incorporate Regular Exercise: 

Berberine metabolism enables the breakdown of fats and muscle maintenance, but only if accompanied by the exercise.

• Consult a Doctor: 

Patients are encouraged to consult their doctor before they take this herb regularly as they might be taking other drugs or may have other pre-clinical conditions.

• Monitor Dosage Carefully: 

For weight loss the recommended dose is about 500mg taken thrice daily before meals.  If there is such supplement, then it should be quite unreasonable to deviate from the dosage stated on the packaging or as mentioned in the instructions and visit the doctor for any modifications in this regard.

• Track Your Progress: 

When on Berberine it is better to try to stick to a certain weight or your waist or any other part of your body and document this in a diary.  This helps in getting to see how your body will likely react to the supplement so you can change if necessary.

Summary

Berberine is an alkaloidal molecule present in many plants which are marketed by some companies offering dietary supplements. Some use it to help them lose weight.

Despite the fact that there are many studies in this aspect, what many investigators have learnt is that people who take this supplement can lose weight. It is also reported to have some positive effects in other illnesses; especially in type II diabetes.

People need the approval of a doctor before they can use berberine.  It has some interaction with the drugs and should not be used while pregnant or nursing.