Berberine
1 g · as Berberine HCl
Structure / FunctionA natural compound from plants like goldenseal and barberry. It does two things. It helps keep blood sugar and cholesterol steady when they are already in a normal range. And it helps keep the bacteria in your gut in a healthy mix.
Berberine does two separate jobs. First, it flips on your cells' built-in energy switch, which scientists call AMPKYour cells' built-in energy switch: flip it on and cells burn sugar and fat for fuel instead of storing them.. That switch tells your cells to pull sugar and fat out of your blood and burn them for fuel instead of storing them. That is what keeps blood sugar and cholesterol steady in a normal range. Second, and separately, berberine works right on the bacteria in your gut, your microbiomeThe community of trillions of bacteria in your gut that help with digestion and immune balance., nudging the mix toward a healthier balance.
Evidence · 3 studies
- Found that berberine can shift the mix of bacteria in your gut toward a healthier balance. Zhang et al. · PLoS One · 2012PubMed →
- In a study in people, berberine helped keep fasting blood sugar steady in a normal range. Yin et al. · Metabolism · 2008PubMed →
- Showed how berberine prompts the liver to take up more cholesterol. It uses a different route than statin drugs. Kong et al. · Nature Medicine · 2004PubMed →
