It seems like every day there’s a new “wonder” medicine for treating type 2 diabetes promises to help you lose weight and bring your A1C readings down to normal. Berberine, one of these tablets, is a dietary supplement that has shown promise in animal studies for treating type 2 diabetes.
Berberine: What Is It?
Berberine is a chemical that occurs naturally in several plants, such as European barberry, goldenseal, and goldthread. Also, this is hardly a brand-new concept. Researchers in China, India, and the Middle East found that berberine has been used in traditional medicine for at least 400 years before publishing their findings in the journal Biochemistry and Cell Biology in December of 2014. In recent years, the supplement has been widely available in the United States without a doctor’s prescription. “It may be entering the public now, but the herb itself has been utilised for thousands of years. It’s almost as though science is now catching up with what traditional healers have known for centuries.
Berberine might be beneficial
Research suggests that berberine may help with a range of health ailments, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and skin issues including burns and canker sores. Type 2 diabetics may also benefit from it, since it helps with blood sugar management. Researchers have found this effect, as reported in a paper published in Biochemistry and Cell Biology; nevertheless, the study authors admit they are unsure of why this effect has diabetes-fighting properties. Choosing the best berberine supplements is important here.
Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Most research on berberine has focused on the effect it has on those who already have type 2 diabetes. Results and interpretations from some of these investigations are provided below.
Potentially Lowers Blood Sugar
Researchers found that berberine, in addition to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may also help reduce insulin resistance, a feature of type 2 diabetes. Their results were published in the journal Biochemistry and Cell Biology. The results of the research imply that berberine may be effective as a therapy for diabetes, either on its own or in combination with conventional therapies.
Potentially Lowering A1C
In those with type 2 diabetes, berberine has been shown to lower blood glucose, haemoglobin A1C, triglyceride, and insulin levels. There comes the best berberine supplements for diabetes treatment. The American Diabetes Association recommends using an A1C test, which takes an average of the patient’s blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months, as a diagnostic tool.