Berberine – A Powerful Supplement With Many Benefits

A compound called berberine is one of the most effective natural supplements available.

It has very impressive health benefits, and affects your body at the molecular level.

Berberine has been shown to lower blood sugar, cause weight loss and improve heart health, to name a few.

It is one of the few supplements shown to be as effective as a pharmaceutical drug.

This is a detailed review of berberine and its health effects.

What Is Berberine?

Berberine is a bioactive compound that can be extracted from several different plants, including a group of shrubs called Berberis.

Technically, it belongs to a class of compounds called alkaloids. It has a yellow colour, and has often been used as a dye.

Berberine has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, where it was used to treat various ailments.

Now, modern science has confirmed that it has impressive benefits for several different health problems.

How Does It Work?

Berberine has now been tested in hundreds of different studies.

It has been shown to have powerful effects on many different biological systems.

After you ingest berberine, it gets taken in by the body and transported into the bloodstream. Then it travels into the body’s cells.

Inside the cells, it binds to several different “molecular targets” and changes their function. This is similar to how pharmaceutical drugs work.

I am not going to get into much detail here, because the biological mechanisms are complicated and diverse.

However, one of the main actions of berberine is to activate an enzyme inside cells called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).

This enzyme is sometimes referred to as a “metabolic master switch”.

It is found in the cells of various organs, including the brain, muscle, kidney, heart and liver. This enzyme plays a major role in regulating metabolism.

Berberine also affects various other molecules inside cells, and may even affect which genes are turned on or off 

It Causes a Major Reduction in Blood Sugar Levels

Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease that has become incredibly common in recent decades, causing millions of deaths every year.

It is characterized by elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels, either caused by insulin resistance or lack of insulin.

Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage the body’s tissues and organs, leading to various health problems and a shortened lifespan.

Many studies show that berberine can significantly reduce blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

In fact, its effectiveness is comparable to the popular diabetes drug metformin (Glucophage.

It seems to work via multiple different mechanisms.

• Decreases insulin resistance, making the blood sugar lowering hormone insulin more effective.
• Increases glycolysis, helping the body break down sugars inside cells.
• Decrease sugar production in the liver.
• Slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in the gut.
• Increases the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

In one study of 116 diabetic patients, 1 gram of berberine per day lowered fasting blood sugar by 20%, from 7.0 to 5.6 mmol/L (126 to 101 mg/dL), or from diabetic to normal levels.

It also lowered hemoglobin A1c by 12% (a marker for long-term blood sugar levels), and also improved blood lipids like cholesterol and triglycerides.

According to a big review of 14 studies, berberine is as effective as oral diabetes drugs, including metformin, glipizide and rosiglitazone.

It works very well with lifestyle modifications, and also has additive effects when administered with other blood sugar lowering drugs.

If you look at discussions online, you often see people with sky-high blood sugars literally normalizing them just by taking this supplement.

This stuff really works, in both the studies and the real world.

Berberine May Help You Lose Weight

Berberine may also be effective as a weight loss supplement.

So far, two studiesTrusted Source have examined the effects on body weight.

In a 12-week study in obese individuals, 500 mg taken three times per day caused about 5 pounds of weight loss, on average. The participants also lost 3.6% of their body fat.

Another more impressive study was conducted in 37 men and women with metabolic syndrome. This study went on for 3 months, and the participants took 300 mg, 3 times per day.

The participants dropped their body mass index (BMI) levels from 31.5 to 27.4, or from obese to overweight in only 3 months. They also lost belly fat and improved many health markers.

The researchers believe that the weight loss is caused by improved function of fat-regulating hormones, such as insulin, adiponectin and leptin.

Berberine also appears to inhibit the growth of fat cells at the molecular level.

However, more research is needed on the weight loss effects of berberine.

It Lowers Cholesterol and May Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease

Heart disease is currently the world’s most common cause of premature death.

Many factors that can be measured in the blood are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

As it turns out, berberine has been shown to improve many of these factors.

According to a review of 11 studies, it can.

• Lower total cholesterol by 0.61 mmol/L (24 mg/dL).
• Lower LDL cholesterolTrusted Source by 0.65 mmol/L (25 mg/dL).
• Lower blood triglycerides by 0.50 mmol/L (44 mg/dL).
• Raise HDL cholesterol by 0.05 mmol/L (2 mg/dL).

It has also been shown to lower apolipoprotein B by 13-15%, which is a very important risk factor.

According to some studies, berberine works by inhibiting an enzyme called PCSK9. This leads to more LDL being removed from the bloodstream.

Keep in mind that diabetes, high blood sugar levels and obesity are also major risk factors for heart disease, all of which seem to be improved with this supplement.

Given the beneficial effects on all these risk factors, it seems likely that berberine could drastically reduce the risk of heart disease.

Other Health Benefits

Berberine may also have numerous other health benefits:

• Depression: Rat studies show that it may help fight depression (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).
• Cancer: Test tube and animal studies have shown that it can reduce the growth and spread of various different types of cancer (26, 27Trusted Source).
• Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory: It has been shown to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in some studies (28, 29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source).
• Infections: It has been shown to fight harmful microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites (31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).
• Fatty liver: It can reduce fat build-up in the liver, which should help protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (35, 36Trusted Source).
• Heart failure: One study showed that it drastically improved symptoms and reduced risk of death in heart failure patients (37Trusted Source).

Many of these benefits need more research before firm recommendations can be made, but the current evidence is very promising.

Dosage and Side Effects

Many of the studies cited in the article used dosages in the range of 900 to 1500 mg per day.

It is common to take 500 mg, 3 times per day, before meals (a total of 1500 mg per day).

Berberine has a half-life of several hours, so it is necessary to spread your dosage to several times per day to achieve stable blood levels.

If you have a medical condition or are on any medications, then it is recommended that you speak to your doctor before taking it.

This is especially important if you are currently taking blood sugar lowering medications.

Overall, berberine has an outstanding safety profile. The main side effects are related to digestion, and there are some reports of cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation and stomach pain.

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5 Science-Based Benefits of 5-HTP - dosage and side effects

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that your body naturally produces.

Your body uses it to produce serotonin, a chemical messenger that sends signals between your nerve cells.

Low serotonin levels are associated with depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, weight gain and other health problems 

Therefore, increasing your body’s production of serotonin may have various benefits.

For this reason, serotonin-producing 5-HTP supplements have become increasingly popular.

Here are 5 potential health benefits of 5-HTP, based on science.

1. It Can Aid Weight Loss by Increasing Feelings of Fullness

5-HTP may increase feelings of fullness, causing you to eat less and lose weight.

Weight loss can increase the production of hormones that make you feel hungry. These feelings of constant hunger can make losing weight unsustainable in the long term 

5-HTP may counteract these hunger-inducing hormones, working to suppress appetite and help you lose weight 

In one study, 20 people with diabetes were randomly assigned to receive either 5-HTP or a placebo for two weeks. The results showed that those who received 5-HTP consumed approximately 435 fewer calories per day, compared to the placebo group

What’s more, 5-HTP primarily inhibited the intake of calories from carbohydrates, which was associated with better blood sugar control 

Many other studies have also found that 5-HTP increased feelings of fullness and aided weight loss in overweight or obese people 

Moreover, animal studies have shown that 5-HTP may reduce excessive food intake due to stress or depression 

Helps With Depression by Increasing Serotonin LevelsThe effects of 5-HTP on symptoms of depression have been well studied.

While the exact cause of depression is largely unknown, some researchers believe that a serotonin imbalance may influence your mood in a way that leads to depression 

5-HTP supplements are thought to treat depression by increasing serotonin levels.

In fact, several small studies have found that 5-HTP reduced symptoms of depression. However, two of them did not use placebos for comparison, limiting the strength of their findings.

Similarly, another analysis concluded that 5-HTP may help treat depression.

However, much of the research suggests that the potential antidepressive effects of 5-HTP are stronger when combined with other substances or antidepressant medications, compared to when they are used alone 

Moreover, many reviews conclude that additional, high-quality studies are needed before 5-HTP can be recommended as a treatment for depression 

Improved Symptoms of FibromyalgiaSupplementing with 5-HTP may improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by muscle and bone pain, as well as general weakness.

There is currently no known cause of fibromyalgia, but low serotonin levels have been associated with the condition.

This has led researchers to believe that increasing serotonin levels through 5-HTP supplements may benefit people with fibromyalgia.

Indeed, early evidence suggests that 5-HTP may improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, including muscle pain, sleep problems, anxiety and fatigue.

However, not enough research has been conducted to draw any clear conclusions about the effectiveness of 5-HTP at improving fibromyalgia symptoms.

Could Help Reduce Migraine Frequency5-HTP is said to help with migraines, which are throbbing headaches that are often accompanied by nausea or disturbed vision.

While their exact cause is debated, some researchers believe they are triggered by low serotonin levels.

One study in 124 people compared the ability of 5-HTP and methysergide, a common migraine medication, to prevent migraines.

It found that supplementing with 5-HTP daily for six months prevented or significantly decreased the number of migraine attacks in 71% of participants.

In another study in 48 students, 5-HTP produced a 70% decrease in headache frequency, compared to an 11% decrease in the placebo group.

Similarly, many other studies have found that 5-HTP may be an effective treatment option for people with migraines.

Can Promote Sleep by Increasing Your Melatonin Production5-HTP produces serotonin, which can be converted into the hormone melatonin.

Melatonin plays an important role in regulating sleep. Its levels begin to rise in the evening to promote sleep and fall in the morning to help wake you up.

Therefore, supplementing with 5-HTP may promote sleep by increasing melatonin production in your body.

One human-based study showed that a combination of 5-HTP and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) significantly reduced the time it took to fall asleep, increased sleep duration and improved sleep quality.

GABA is a chemical messenger that promotes relaxation. Combining it with 5-HTP likely has a synergistic effect.

In fact, several animal and insect studies suggest that 5-HTP improves sleep quality and that the effect is greater when combined with GABA.

While these results are promising, the lack of human-based studies makes it difficult to recommend 5-HTP for improving sleep quality, especially when it is used in isolation.

Possible Side Effects of 5-HTP

Some people may experience nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach pain when taking 5-HTP supplements. These side effects are dose-dependent, meaning they get worse when increasing your dose.

To minimize these side effects, start with a dose of 50–100 mg two times per day and increase to the appropriate dose over a two-week period.

Some medications increase serotonin production. Combining these medications with 5-HTP may cause dangerous serotonin levels in your body. This is called serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Medications that may increase your body’s serotonin levels include certain antidepressants, cough medicines or prescription pain relievers.

Since 5-HTP may also promote sleep, taking it with prescription sedative medications, such as Klonopin, Ativan or Ambien, may cause too much sleepiness.

Due to the potential for negative interactions with other medications, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking 5-HTP supplements.

When buying supplements, look for the NSF or USP seals, which indicate high quality. These are third-party companies that ensure supplements contain what they claim on the label, without impurities.

Source - https://www.healthline.com.

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