Many plants in the Berberis genus, including tree turmeric (Berberis aristate), Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis), Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), and barberry (Berberis vulgaris), naturally contain a chemical component called berberine. It is typically found in the roots, rhizomes, stems, and barks of plants that contain it. It is a member of a class of chemicals known as alkaloids.
Berberine was utilized as a blood purifying substance as early as 650 BC in Assyria. Because its extracts were used to cure a variety of illnesses, including eye, ear, and mouth infections, it was also a crucial component of traditional Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Ayurvedic remedies.
Additionally, berberine extracts were used to treat snake and scorpion stings, heal wounds more quickly, treat uterine and vaginal diseases, treat hemorrhoids, and expedite the healing of wounds.
These days, berberine is a widely used component in a variety of plant-based nutritional supplements that are intended to treat respiratory tract infections, fever, influenza, and the common cold. Because of the numerous excellent outcomes from numerous fruitful clinical trials with diabetics, berberine has also gained popularity in recent decades for the treatment of diabetes.
Diabetes is a disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose levels in the body. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the pancreatic beta cells’ incapacity to make insulin, whereas type 2 diabetes is caused by the body’s insensitivity to the insulin produced by the pancreas.
If left untreated, diabetes can have a serious negative impact on many body systems, including the kidneys, heart, eyes, brain, and other critical organs. Depending on the individual, the consequences of uncontrolled diabetes might be mild, severe, or even fatal (such as diabetic coma).
Diabetes is a challenging illness to treat, but as time goes on, researchers are always looking for new and better ways to help people with diabetes live better lives. Plants classified as generally regarded as safe (GRAS) have long been used to treat diabetes; nevertheless, one of their drawbacks is the difficulty in maintaining quality control, as many of these plant products combine many components.
But unlike berberine, this is a single, pure chemical that has been shown to reduce blood sugar both in vivo, or inside of cells, and in vitro, or outside of cells.
In what ways does berberine lower blood sugar levels?
When berberine’s blood glucose-lowering properties were initially identified in 1980, diabetic patients in China were administered the herb to relieve diarrhea. Since then, berberine’s use as an anti-hyperglycemic drug has increased due to its potential for hypoglycemia. As outlined below, berberine lowers blood sugar in a few different methods.
By triggering glycolysis, it raises the metabolism of glucose.
Glycolysis, to put it simply, is the breakdown of glucose to produce energy. The body’s cells use this energy to carry out their various tasks. higher glycolysis entails higher glucose use, which lowers the amount of glucose in the blood, in order to produce the same amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) that is produced during respiration. At the cellular level, ATP is the energy source or energy-carrying molecule.
By triggering the adenosine monophosphate protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, beberine causes glycolysis. One enzyme that is crucial for maintaining equilibrium in the cells’ energy production is called AMPK. AMPK promotes the absorption and oxidation of glucose and fatty acids in response to low cellular energy.
It is a sensor of energy in cells that is activated by the ratio of adenosine monophosphate to adenosine triphosphate, or AMP:ATP.
AMPK is activated by a rise in the ATM:ATP ratio. Since the main trigger for insulin secretion is the oxidation of glucose, inhibiting this process helps to raise the ATM:ATP ratio, which in turn activates AMPK.
By quickly increasing direct phosphorylation and keeping the elevated phosphorylation in the cells for a longer amount of time, AMPK also encourages glycolysis. Moreover, it encourages the mitochondria to break down non-carbon sources. They improve the sensitivity to insulin.
Both animal research and numerous clinical trials have shown how effective berberine is at reducing insulin resistance. In animal experiments, berberine administration for five weeks led to a considerable decrease in blood glucose levels after meals and throughout fasting.
It promotes the intake of glucose
It has been shown that berberine increases the absorption of glucose far more potently than insulin. In the absence of insulin, a research found that administering as little as 2 μmol/L of berberine increased glucose absorption by 170%.
Berberine increases the action of insulin when it is present, which increases the uptake of glucose by cells. Because berberine’s absorption of glucose is dose-dependent, it increases as berberine concentrations rise.
It facilitates weight loss
By boosting brown fat, or brown adipose tissue, which encourages energy expenditure, berberine aids in weight loss. Since brown fat is often the fat that is broken down when you become chilly, thermogenesis—the process of burning brown fat—creates heat without causing shaking. Brown fat consumes calories during thermogenesis as well, which adds to overall weight.
According to a study, people who took 750 mg of barberry twice day for three months experienced a considerable reduction in weight. A lower body mass index (BMI) was observed in those who took 200 mg of barberry three times a day, according to another study. Because being overweight or obese lowers insulin sensitivity, these conditions are risk factors for the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Therefore, as many studies have shown, losing weight reduces insulin resistance. For this reason, a weight-management strategy is typically included in the diabetic treatment regimen for those who are obese or overweight. Generally speaking, they are urged to walk for at least half an hour each day or engage in another mild physical exercise.
Alters the gut microbiota
By increasing the population of some beneficial bacteria and lowering the population of harmful ones, berberine modifies the composition of the gut microbiota. The obesity brought on by a high-fat diet is partly caused by an increase in the number of bacteria in the gut, particularly those of the genus Prevotella (especially Prevotella copri), which has an impact on the host’s metabolism.
Prevotella has been shown to exacerbate glucose intolerance and cause insulin resistance in animal experiments. On the other hand, the population of Prevotella copri decreased after receiving berberine treatment for three weeks.
Additionally, berberine benefits bacteria that create short-chain fatty acids, such as Bacteroides, Roseburia, Akkermansia, and Clostridium. Inducing a healthy increase in body weight, short-chain fatty acids suppress hunger and/or modify energy metabolism.
For instance, it has been suggested that Akkermansia municiphila may aid in weight loss, hence enhancing insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels.
Read Also: Diabetes and Sulphur Burps
Berberine dosage for diabetes
Berberine’s ability to lower blood glucose levels is hampered at very low doses; its antidiabetic efficacy is directly correlated with the amount taken. Berberine supplements are approved by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) and are available as either a supplement or as capsules. They strongly advise against using berberine unless first consulting a physician.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not typically control supplement dosages, and berberine is no exception. Many investigations have led to the establishment of safe boundaries that, when followed, have also shown to be beneficial.
Berberine dosage recommendations range from 900 mg to 2,000 mg per day. You can split up this dosage into three or four smaller doses and space them out during the day. This is due to the fact that consuming excessive amounts of berberine all at once may irritate the stomach, causing cramps and diarrhea.
Additionally, the half-life of berberine is short, lasting only a few hours, thus the key to optimizing its effects is to divide the dose up to three times. Studies have shown that taking 1500 mg of berberine in 500 mg dosages three times a day is equally as effective as taking 1500 mg of metformin or 4 mg of glibenclamide, two powerful medications that are frequently prescribed for the treatment of diabetes.
For three months, people who took 500 mg of berberine three times a day showed a significant decrease in diabetes-related indicators.
For up to two years, people should take 400 mg to 1500 mg of berberine orally every day, according to some other doctors. drugs requested for the management of type 2 diabetes.
Berberine should ideally be taken with food or soon after a meal. By doing this, you benefit from the jump in blood lipid and glucose levels that occurs after a meal.
Strong bioactive substance berberine is naturally present in a wide variety of plants. In recent decades, it has been widely associated with the treatment of diabetes due to its hypoglycemic impact. It is especially helpful for people with type 2 diabetes. Numerous studies have demonstrated that it can enhance insulin sensitivity when insulin is present as well as glucose absorption when insulin is not present.
It may be used as a diabetic treatment for those who are unable to take other widely prescribed anti-diabetic medications because of the existence of other illnesses or ailments, such as kidney, heart, or liver failure.
Citations
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