https://www.webmd.com/diet/berberine-health-benefits#1
Health Benefits of Berberine
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Potential Health Benefits
- Potential Health Risks
Berberine is a compound found in many plants, including European barberry,
phellodendron, Oregon grape, goldenseal, and goldthread. These plants have
historically been used to treat everything from infection to sores.
The first traces of berberine being used medicinally are found more than 3000
years ago, when the barberry plant and its relatives were being cultivated in
China and South Asia. The stems, leaves, and bark of the plant were used in a
variety of ways.
Evidence also shows that berberine-containing plants were used in South
America, the Middle East, and Europe to treat different conditions. Today,
berberine is being investigated as a treatment for diabetes, high cholesterol,
and even polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Potential Health Benefits
The possible health benefits of berberine stem from how it affects enzymes in
the body. Berberine binds to enzymes and parts of your cells and changes how
they work. It seems to do this to many individual enzymes, and even DNA and RNA.
Berberine is being studied to see if it may help with:
Lowering C holesterol
Taking berberine supplements regularly appears to lower total cholesterol,
“bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides in people with high cholesterol. It works
differently from today’s standard cholesterol medications, so it may help treat
people who are resistant to other cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Heart Health
People with heart disease often have fatigue and irregular heartbeats. Studies
show that taking berberine supplement combined with standard heart disease
treatments reduces these symptoms. Berberine reduced the risk of death from
heart disease without apparent side effects.
Blood Sugar Control
Berberine has also been shown to lower glucose levels in people with diabetes.
Studies show that it helps your body respond better to insulin and prevents
your liver from creating more glucose. As a result, people with diabetes may
find berberine helps lower their blood sugar levels.
Lowering B lood P ressure
High blood pressure is associated with heart disease and strokes. Taking
berberine may help lower your diastolic and systolic blood pressure (the bottom
and top numbers of your blood pressure reading).
PCOS Symptom Relief
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS, can cause problems such as high
cholesterol, insulin resistance, and trouble losing weight. In some studies,
berberine helped women with PCOS control their cholesterol, lower their
waist-to-hip ratio, and increase their response to insulin.
Weight Loss
While berberine is not a magic weight-loss pill, it may help people with a body
mass index (BMI) over 30 lose weight. Two studies have shown that taking a
berberine supplement over the course of three months results in significant
weight loss. This may be due to how berberine helps control insulin and other
hormones that regulate your fat cells.
A true lover of wisdom has hands too busy to hold on to anything! He learns by
doing and every pebble in the path becomes her teacher! Oink
