Berberine and Weight Loss: Exploring the Science

It’s not difficult to spot a pattern — whenever being skinny becomes a trend again, a bunch of new magic weight loss pills become available. Those growing up in the 90s will remember ads for ‘fat-burning’ apple cider vinegar supplements and will likely have no trouble visualizing the bottles of green tea extract that were supposed to effortlessly slim you down a few sizes in the early 2010s.

It’s way more difficult coming up with a new miracle cure in the post-Ozempic era. However, berberine — a chemical found in certain plants — has recently gone viral as a ‘natural substitute’ for the said drug.

Being obsessed with every new weight loss method in my younger years and growing up a huge skeptic (who also happened to become a doctor), I was incredibly curious to see if berberine even remotely holds the potential to help people shed pounds.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

What exactly is berberine?

Berberine is a bitter, yellow-colored substance that’s naturally found in certain plants, including Oregon grape, European barberry, or goldenseal.

These plants have a long history of being used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for various health complaints, from hemorrhoids to infections and even scorpion stings. In certain regions, plants that contain berberine are still used for numerous purposes, including digestive complaints, infections, and skin diseases.

Nowadays, there are several berberine-containing dietary supplements on the market. They’re most often used for their potential benefits in managing diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, and scientific evidence on their effectiveness for these purposes is rather promising.

Recently, berberine has gained a lot of attention on multiple social media platforms for being the new ultimate trick to weight loss. But is there any truth to it?

Can berberine help with weight loss?

Well, currently available evidence on the role of berberine supplements in weight loss seems to be inconclusive.A review of past studies published in 2022 has found that berberine may help reduce body weight and body mass index (BMI) in people who took berberine for more than two months and in doses higher than 1 g per day.

If you’re thinking that this might be a bit too good to be true, you might be right. Most of the studies included in the review weren’t of the highest quality. Therefore, we can’t know if these results actually reflect reality.

On the other hand, a slightly older meta-analysis of 12 studies published in 2020 has shown no significant effect of berberine on body weight or BMI.

Interestingly, the same study did show a reduction in waist-hip ratio (waist circumference divided by the hip circumference, which is suggested to be an additional measure of body fat distribution), but we need more studies to understand what that could mean.

Why don’t we have a clear-cut answer yet?

As you might’ve already guessed it, more research is definitely needed to know whether berberine could actually be an effective weight loss aid.

However, this is difficult to assess properly — researchers tend to use different amounts and formulations of berberine, as well as test it on people with different health problems, such as those with fatty liver disease or diabetes, which ultimately makes it tricky to know how the results could compare to those achieved by healthy people.

So while TikTok may contain hundreds of videos with users claiming that berberine supplementation helped them shed pounds without having to change their lifestyle, calling berberine ‘nature’s Ozempic’ might be a bit premature.

Considering berberine? Here’s what to know

Since berberine is a dietary supplement, not a prescription medication, you might think it’s completely safe to purchase it over the counter and start taking it without talking to your doctor about it first. However, this might not be the best idea.

When considering any kind of supplement, it’s important to discuss it with your healthcare provider, as they might help you evaluate the potential risks and benefits.

Berberine may be unsafe for those taking certain medications or other supplements, as it may lead to interactions, which may make your medicines less effective or put you at a higher risk of side effects, some of them being dangerous.

There’s a long list of commonly used supplements that are known to interact with berberine. It includes cannabidiol (CBD), supplements that might lower blood sugar levels (such as chromium or prickly pear cactus), as well as many others, such as melatonin, valerian root, L-arginine, garlic, and even probiotics.

Berberine is not one-size-fits-all. Those advised not to take berberine include pregnant and breastfeeding people, as well as children.

So, if you're curious about giving berberine a go, make sure to consult your healthcare provider in the first place. They’ll not only evaluate whether berberine is safe in your case but will also help you understand whether it could be potentially effective for you.

Is berberine safe?

Berberine may cause side effects, even if you’re not taking any kinds of supplements or medications and even if your healthcare provider has given you the green light to give it a go. Some of the potential adverse effects of taking berberine include:

It’s important to note that berberine is a supplement and, therefore, is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as strictly as a medication would be before being released to the market. This means that we cannot be sure if the supplement actually contains the listed ingredients and is not contaminated by any potentially harmful substances that could pose a danger to your health.

Berberine for weight management: the takeaway

Berberine appears to be the latest trending miracle cure for weight loss. However, the science behind it isn’t quite ready to back up the online claims. While some intriguing evidence suggests that berberine shows promise in helping lose weight, calling it ‘nature’s Ozempic’ is way too bold.

If berberine’s viral status has made you curious about giving it a try anyway, make sure to consult your healthcare provider first. Just keep in mind that no supplement can substitute for healthy, sustainable lifestyle changes, and keep your expectations realistic accordingly.