Berberine as a daily supplement

Hello @eyeman, Welcome to Connect. You will notice that we added a few words to the title of your discussion to hopefully better describe the discussion for members who may have experience or information to share with you.

I really had not heard of Berberine until you started this discussion. I did a quick search and it does sound promising and has been a part of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years from what I've read. I would still talk with my doctor or a pharmacist before starting it as a daily supplement in case there are any concerns of interactions with any other supplements or medication that I'm taking. Here are some of the articles I found that you may have already seen but still may be helpful for other members joining the discussion.

-- Everything you need to know about berberine: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325798
-- Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/
-- A New Therapeutic Candidate for Cardiovascular Diseases: Berberine: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.631100/full

You may also be interested in the following discussion which mentions berberine in the description of the discussion.
-- What supplements are good for you as a diabetic?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-supplements-are-good-for-your-as-a-diabetic/

@lewismustard, @deanna2, and @dorisena may have some thoughts to share with you on berberine as a daily supplement.

Have you talked with your doctor or pharmacist about adding it to your daily regimen of supplments?

Yes, I asked my doctor before I began taking berberine instead of metformin. Unfamiliar with berberine, he researched it and then approved of my switching the two. I've taken it for years and it helps me as much as metformin did and without any side effects. (Of course, taking a medicine or a supplement does not mean one can then ignore exercising and eating properly.)

Hello @eyeman, Welcome to Connect. You will notice that we added a few words to the title of your discussion to hopefully better describe the discussion for members who may have experience or information to share with you.

I really had not heard of Berberine until you started this discussion. I did a quick search and it does sound promising and has been a part of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years from what I've read. I would still talk with my doctor or a pharmacist before starting it as a daily supplement in case there are any concerns of interactions with any other supplements or medication that I'm taking. Here are some of the articles I found that you may have already seen but still may be helpful for other members joining the discussion.

-- Everything you need to know about berberine: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325798
-- Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/
-- A New Therapeutic Candidate for Cardiovascular Diseases: Berberine: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.631100/full

You may also be interested in the following discussion which mentions berberine in the description of the discussion.
-- What supplements are good for you as a diabetic?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-supplements-are-good-for-your-as-a-diabetic/

@lewismustard, @deanna2, and @dorisena may have some thoughts to share with you on berberine as a daily supplement.

Have you talked with your doctor or pharmacist about adding it to your daily regimen of supplments?

Yes, I asked my doctor before I began taking berberine instead of metformin. Unfamiliar with berberine, he researched it and then approved of my switching the two. I've taken it for years and it helps me as much as metformin did and without any side effects. (Of course, taking a medicine or a supplement does not mean one can then ignore exercising and eating properly.)

I would report that after taking in for several days I developed constipation and lots of GI cramping. I'm thinking the levels had built up in my system. After researching it, I found an article where the it has been used to treat diarrhea in China for years. So I stopped taking it for a few days and the constipation and diarrhea miraculously went away. Conclusion: If it does cause side effects, I would say to just back off for a few days and let your body return to normal before taking more.

Tony C, R.Ph.

For some people, side effects of prednisone, as well as the inflammation that brings PMR, might be alleviated by berberine, an OTC plant-based drug. I had taken this before, when excessive night urination suggested my body was not metabolizing sugars fast enough. Berberine might cut down on the bloat from prednisone. It is also an anti-inflammatory, and combats the possibility of long-term prednisone users developing Type 2 Diabetes. [I have no medical credentials. Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting this or any other drug.]
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325798