6 Potential Benefits of Berberine You Should Know About
Berberine is a natural supplement that offers a wide array of health benefits from lowering blood pressure to assisting in weight loss. And it’s no wonder that berberine has stood the test of time as a prevention or treatment to certain illnesses.
When taken, berberine also has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that gives positive effect to the digestive tract and digestion.
Below, we’ll discuss how berberine works in your system and six potential benefits.
What is berberine?
Berberine is a bioactive compound that is extracted from several plants. Although there are plenty of over-the-counter supplements that contributes to health and wellness, berberine stands out from the rest because of its powerful properties, which are beneficial for people especially to those who have diabetes, high levels of cholesterol, and obesity condition.
In China, they use berberine as a traditional medicine. Manufacturers all over the world used the stem barks of certain plant species like barberry, Oregon grape, and goldthread, as well as the compound that is found in rhizomes and roots to make berberine supplement.
This natural supplement is yellow in color. And the bright yellow compound, which belongs to the class of isoquinoline alkaloids (a traditional medicinal plant) helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar, may prevent heart diseases, fights cancer, manage other types of diabetes, and improve the symptoms of IBS.
How berberine works
Berberine has been tested in hundreds of different lab and scientific studies and has shown positive effects on different biological systems.
When absorbed by the body, berberine is being transported into your bloodstream and travels into the body’s cells. And when inside your cells, it will bind to various molecular targets that eventually change their function to assist in your body’s needs.
One of the primary function of berberine is to activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) - an enzyme that restores cellular levels to help regulate fatty acids and cholesterol. It also plays a major role in cellular energy and metabolic function.
6 potential health benefits of berberine
1. Assists in lowering blood sugar
Studies and health care professionals are always on the search for natural ways to treat diabetes and berberine caught their attention.
Diabetes occurs when a person has an elevated glucose or blood sugar levels due to lack of insulin or insulin resistance.
Berberine helps reduce the blood glucose levels, which is why it is shown to be as effective as the metformin drug - a medicine that helps control high blood sugar levels. It also works in different ways such as:
- Decreases insulin resistance so that the blood sugar will have balanced hormone insulin
- Decreases the high levels of sugar production in the liver
- Increases glycolysis to assist the body in breaking down sugars that are inside the cells
- Increases the amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut to restore balance
But before you decide to take a berberine supplement, consult to your doctor first, especially if you’re taking insulin medication
2. Helps lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease
When you have high levels of fatty acid, you have high cholesterol. This can cause an obstruction of blood flow in the heart & body and clog arteries. The solution for this is to lower the cholesterol levels to prevent the risk of heart diseases.
Berberine helps regulate healthy blood lipid levels and reduce bad cholesterol/triglycerides fats. Therefore, contributing to a healthy heart.
For people who have high cholesterol levels, berberine could be an effective and safe alternative to consider.
3. Helps lose weight
Berberine may help lose weight and shrink belly fats. Maintaining a healthy weight will protect you from heart diseases, diabetes, osteoarthritis, stroke, and other potential diseases that are caused by being overweight.
Berberine works by restraining the enzyme lipoprotein lipase to prevent an increase in fat storage. People who want to lose weight use berberine supplement to help them with body fat loss.
4. Prevent reccuring UTIs & cystitis
Berberine may help women decrease the pain and burning sensation they are feeling due to urinary tract infections (UTIs) and cystitis which is caused by bladder inflammation.
Berberine contains an alkaloid, which is a powerful content that inhibits the bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary bladder, therefore preventing UTI.
Other plants that have berberine such as Oregon grape and goldenseal may also assist in the treatment of cystitis and UTIs.
5. May help prevent certain types of cancer
Berberine may help prevent or decrease the symptoms of certain types of cancer, such as breast, colon, and pancreatic cancer. The AMPK helps prevent cancer cell from spreading and also suppresses tumor metastasis.
According to studies and researchers, berberine can be of potential use in cancer therapy, offering safety and low-cost option.
6. Aids as digestive relief
The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory characteristic of berberine assists in supporting the gut microbiome and prevents further bacteria overgrowth, especially for people suffering from diarrhea, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), gastrointestinal diseases, ulcerative colitis, diarrhea, and other inflammatory bowel diseases.
Taking a berberine supplement daily may improve abdominal pain and the previously mentioned digestive & gut issues.
How people use berberine?
Some people drink berberine as tea, together with honey and lemon.
Extracted berberine comes in capsule form or powder supplement, but capsule form is best preferred.
Majority of the supplemental berberine is packed with powerful herbs and botanical extracts aimed at relieving and treating certain ailments and conditions (specifically the ones mentioned above).
Even with the potential health benefits of berberine, it’s still highly advised to consult your doctor or primary health care provider on how much you should take and how often a day should you take it, especially if you’re under medication.
Once you get a green light, look for berberine supplements that are lab tested & professionally formulated, and have certification or label from NSF international. Gluten-free and non-GMO ones are the best too.
Purely Optimal’s Berberine - your natural path towards healthy living
Our Berberine contains 1200mg of Berberine HCl (hydrochloride) which is easily absorbed by the body for greater benefits.
How our Berberine contributes to your general health and wellness:
- For healthy weight management - supports better metabolism, improves sugar levels & utilizes fats for energy
- For vitality & longevity - helps restore balance in blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol & triglyceride levels, as well as support the body’s immune system to fight against diseases
- For gut health & overall wellness - favors the growth of good microflora in digestive tract for better digestion & nutrient absorption, and protects the gastrointestinal system against leaky gut, inflammation, and toxins
Get your Berberine supplement now for healthy weight, better digestion, balance & vitality!
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