Last modified on October 20th, 2023
Is berberine good for losing weight? It’s a common question, and for some people, one of the major benefits of taking berberine is weight loss, especially in people with conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and type 2 diabetes. Below, we cover berberine weight loss reviews in more detail and explain how this possible benefit occurs with this supplement. www
Why Are People Interested in Berberine Weight Loss Reviews?
There are a lot of videos on TikTok right now about berberine, with many people describing it as natural Ozempic, but how much of that is true?
First, berberine is a powerful and generally very safe supplement. Berberine comes from various plants, and it’s an alkaloid. As a supplement, berberine acts similarly to m any pharmaceutical and prescription drugs, and it’s been studied extensively. There’s more evidence to back up the actual benefits of this supplement than most others on the market.
Berberine is a chemical compound, and it’s in the roots, stems, leaves, and bark of different plants, including tree turmeric, Oregon grape, and barberry.
Some of the general benefits of using berberine include:
- The compound may help improve heart health by lowering cholesterol. Berberine may be a safe alternative to statins for people who can’t take them.
- Berberine may reduce blood glucose levels, and in several studies comparing berberine to metformin, it acts similarly. In studies, berberine has been shown to decrease hemoglobin A1C, a measure of average blood sugar levels over three months. Berberine may improve insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes, and it helps promote healthy lipid and glucose metabolism.
- There are certain cancers that berberine may help prevent or reduce the spread of, including colorectal.
- A berberine supplement can help lower blood pressure, especially with conventional medications. In one study, berberine and amlodipine combined were more effective than the medication alone.
- For PCOS, berberine may help improve metabolic symptoms and health. Studies show it can help improve ovarian stimulation, reduce insulin resistance and fasting blood sugar, help balance testosterone levels, and reduce the waist-to-hip ratio.
- Some people turn to the supplement for gut health and related issues. It might help reduce symptoms of leaky gut, and it can increase short-chain fatty acids, which produce important gut bacteria.
- In animal studies, berberine helps with fatty liver.
- There may be anti-inflammatory benefits that come with using a berberine supplement.
- In some animal models, berberine helps with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
- In animal studies, berberine improved memory and learning.
- Because this supplement can increase neurotransmitters in the hippocampus and the brain’s frontal cortex, it’s thought to help with mood, and it may improve symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- In rats with induced strokes, berberine reduced the death of brain cells.
- There are effects of berberine against various viruses, yeast, and bacteria.
How Does Berberine Help with Weight Loss?
When it comes to berberine weight loss reviews, you’ll find quite a few online, including on TikTok, but there are also berberine weight loss reviews Reddit posters contribute.
Berberine is the latest in several supplement trends that have taken off on TikTok, with users providing berberine reviews for weight loss, comparing it to Ozempic. Ozempic is a relatively new injectable drug for treating diabetes used for weight loss.
While it’s being called natural Ozempic in berberine weight loss reviews, it likely doesn’t work the same way as the drug.
When someone uses Ozempic, it acts like the natural hormone GLP-1. It helps regulate blood sugar levels, and it can cause people to feel like they’re full and not hungry. Berberine doesn’t act like GLP-1, so it’s different even when called a natural Ozempic.
Taking berberine as a powder or pill travels to your cells and binds to different molecules. It doesn’t cause one change but can impact multiple diseases simultaneously because it interacts with multiple targets.
As a supplement, according to berberine reviews for weight loss, it can turn things on and off and affects many of the body’s processes.
In early research, there are indications that berberine can help reduce body fat. For example, in one study of people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, people taking berberine daily for three months had significant weight loss.
The weight loss benefits of berberine stem primarily from the impacts on glucose and insulin.
Insulin doesn’t manage blood sugar levels—it’s also responsible for fat regulation and protein metabolism.
If you have insulin resistance, your cells aren’t getting enough glucose, so you feel hungry. Your signaling is thrown off balance. Then, as you’re eating to satisfy the hunger you’re experiencing, your body stores extra blood glucose as fat.
Berberine improves the cellular response to insulin, known as insulin sensitivity. It also helps promote better glucose uptake and affects how glucose is used. If your cells get adequate glucose, it reduces your appetite and food intake.
Another interesting way the supplement works is by activating AMP-activated protein kinase or AMPK. It’s in all of the cells of our body, with key roles including metabolism regulation and helping control how your body is breaking down and using energy.
AMPK can also impact body fat composition, and it’s a critical part of appetite regulation.
Berberine Weight Loss Reviews Reddit
I use berberine and find it very beneficial, but I also wanted to research berberine’s weight loss reviews Reddit users shared. They were largely very positive.
According to these berberine and weight loss reviews, most people find that it’s effective if they stick with it for at least a few weeks and, better yet, a few months. That seems to be the sweet spot when people begin to see effects, based on most berberine reviews for weight loss.
Are There Risks?
Generally, berberine as a supplement is considered very safe, but there are some considerations to remember first.
It’s not regulated, which is true of all supplements in the U.S. It may also interact with other medications and has a short half-life of just a few hours. You have to spread your doses throughout the day to keep your levels stable and get all the benefits. Usually, a dose of 1,500 mg daily is best in three divided doses of 500 mg daily.
Side effects are typically mild if they occur and may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and constipation.
If you want to reduce the potential for side effects, you might begin with a 500 mg dose and work your way up from there gradually.
How Much Weight Can You Lose with Berberine?
According to berberine weight loss reviews on Reddit, if you stick with it, you might be able to lose substantial amounts of weight, although everyone is different. I found reviews of people who lost as much as 25 pounds in a couple of months, but they often say that they combined it with a healthy diet and exercise.
Some people say they lost several inches of belly fat when taking it, especially with a high-protein diet and regular workouts.
There are also many berberine weight loss reviews of people with PCOS who say that it’s especially helpful for them.
What’s the Best Berberine Supplement for Weight Loss?
I have a couple of berberine supplements that I feel are best. One of the products I especially like for weight loss is Thorne. Thorne is generally a great supplement company, and they do a lot of testing on their ingredients in the raw form and final products to ensure they’re safe, effective, and have the ingredients they say they do.
I like the Thorne product because a high-dose version of 1000 mg is available, making it more affordable and easier to take when using a 1500-mg dose daily. A lot of products have much smaller amounts of active ingredients.
Berberine Weight Loss Reviews-Frequently Asked Questions
Below are frequently asked questions related to berberine weight loss reviews.
Based on berberine weight loss reviews, how much can you lose?
There’s no standard or average regarding how much weight you can lose taking berberine.
Still, many reviews say it can be substantial, especially when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.
Studies have shown modest reports of weight loss, sometimes around five pounds or more on average. In berberine reviews for weight loss from individual users, we found reports of weight loss of 6% or more of total body weight.
How long does it take for berberine to work for weight loss?
It can take several weeks for berberine to work for weight loss at divided doses of around 1500 mg a day.
Most people report taking it for at least three months for the most substantial effects on weight.
Does berberine work for weight loss?
While there’s no magic bullet, and it’s not necessarily natural Ozempic as it’s been called on TikTok, berberine can help with weight loss.
It affects insulin resistance and how your body stores and uses glucose.
It can also turn on and off certain cellular functions to promote weight loss and positively affect hormones, including those that control appetite.
Is there a downside to taking berberine?
Berberine is well-studied and considered safe, but you should speak to your doctor if you take any medications.
One of the biggest risks of taking berberine could be interacting with a prescription medication or supplement that lowers blood sugar—your blood sugar levels could drop too much.
What happens when you start taking berberine?
Regularly taking a berberine supplement may help improve your mood, reduce your appetite, and control your food intake.
It can also help with controlling your blood sugar and insulin resistance. Regular consumption of Berberine may help lower cholesterol, including total and bad cholesterol.
Does berberine increase metabolism?
In research, berberine has been found to promote something called adaptive thermogenesis.
Animal experiments have shown that administering berberine can increase the whole-body expenditure of energy without someone changing their physical activity levels, so yes, it may increase metabolism based on early studies.
Berberine Weight Loss Reviews-Final Thoughts
When it comes to berberine reviews for weight loss, many positive stories exist.
Depending on what else you do, along with taking the supplement, you might be able to lose substantial amounts of weight.
Berberine also has numerous other benefits for heart and metabolic health, mental health, and inflammation.
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