High-dose oral medications in weight-loss drug WeGobee may be similar to injections in reducing weight and improving health, including in people with difficult-to-treat diabetes, according to research results released on Sunday, June 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Patrick Sisson, File)
(NewsNation) — A plant-based supplement called berberine is making headlines on social media as a cheap, natural alternative to Ozempic for people looking to lose weight.
The post, dubbed “Nature’s Ozempic,” garnered millions of views on TikTok, with users claiming it helped them lose weight. However, little is actually known about the health effects of berberine.
What is Berberine?
Berberine is a bright yellow compound extracted from the stems, roots and bark of various plant species.
Available as tablets or powder from various manufacturers, it is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Small studies have found that berberine lowers blood sugar and cholesterol and improves insulin resistance. The Wall Street Journal reported.
Berberine’s potential weight-loss benefits may be triggered, similar to the diabetes drug metformin, by improving the way cells use insulin, said Jim Backes, a clinical pharmacist at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Bax said that too much insulin in the blood can make you feel hungry, and lowering insulin levels may help reduce those cravings. WSJMore.
Is it effective?
Some studies with berberine suggest that the supplement may help improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels, but the researchers caution that the association with weight loss is premature and that lifestyle changes such as exercise and a healthier diet may be responsible for users who report weight loss.
Researchers are still investigating berberine’s effects on the nervous system, cancer biology, and neurological branching disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Some overweight or obese patients at the Center for Functional Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic experienced moderate weight loss of 5 to 10 pounds in a few months, Dr. Elizabeth Bradley told the WSJ.
“I’m pleasantly surprised by the benefits,” said Bradley, noting that people taking berberine may also be making other lifestyle changes.
However, some experts suggest that the supplement may act as a placebo.
“If you believe it helps you lose weight, it probably does,” said Lisa Kroon, a diabetes specialist and professor of pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco.
Berberine history
Berberine-producing plants have been used for: thousands of years Traditional Chinese Medicine, Indian Ayurveda, and Middle Eastern Traditional Medicine.
that used As an ointment for stings and bites, it is used to heal wounds, treat diabetes, infections, jaundice, etc.
Scientists extracted berberine as an active ingredient in the plant at least 100 years ago, according to Dr. Joshua Levitt, to study compounds related to metabolic problems such as cholesterol and diabetes.
