What Is Berberine? Why This Supplement Isn't Like Ozempic.
Berberine is a supplement found in the roots, leaves, and stems of some plants.
It's been used for thousands of years to treat infections and heal wounds.
Recently, people on social media have been calling it "nature's Ozempic," but experts disagree.
Top editors give you the stories you want — delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Berberine, a bitter, yellow chemical found in the roots, leaves, and stems of several plants, has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. It's often used to help with wound healing or treating infections, and there's some preliminary evidence that it may be effective for those issues.
But this year, the old compound has suddenly become a hot new internet sensation for weight loss, with many TikTok influencers calling it "nature's Ozempic," and posting about how it's helped them shed pounds and improve hormonal imbalances.
The supplement's use has become such a prominent online fad that even the National Institutes of Health stepped in with a cautionary note on its website this month, warning about the potential dangers of taking berberine.
But the reality is that berberine isn't comparable to the new class of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic. Small studies have shown that any potential weight loss benefits of the supplement are extremely mild, and experts told Insider that there are other well-regulated, cheap medications that are more effective for weight loss and metabolism issues.
"Berberine is not that potent," Dr. Amy Rothberg, a metabolism, nutrition, and diabetes expert at the University of Michigan, told Insider. "If it results in weight loss, it would be pretty modest."
Here are the basics of what we know about berberine.
Berberine is a far cry from Ozempic when it comes to weight loss
Many supplements, including berberine, are largely unregulated. Bruce Gifford, Getty Images
If berberine does prompt any weight loss, it is very modest compared to the dramatic results people have been seeing with pricey prescription GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. In clinical trials, these once-weekly injectables can lead to upwards of 15% weight loss, when taken for over a year.
On the contrary, a small study of fewer than 10 obese patients who took berberine three times a day for three months found their average weight loss with berberine was just around 5 pounds.
Rothberg said it's possible the supplement is actually doing nothing at all to help people lose weight.
"It could be placebo effect, which is very powerful in and of itself," she said.
Berberine might be more comparable to metformin, a cheap diabetes drug
While there isn't yet much compelling data on berberine for weight loss, there is slightly more evidence available suggesting the compound may be mildly helpful for controlling blood sugar, cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Dr. Michael Weintraub, an obesity medicine specialist at NYU Langone, told Insider that this makes the cheap, generic diabetes drug metformin a more apt comparison for berberine. The beneficial effects of berberine on blood sugar "may be comparable to a moderate dose of metformin," he said.
Metformin is also "the most common medication prescribed off-label for weight loss," Weintraub said, though most people who take it will only lose a modest amount of weight, perhaps around 5 to 10 pounds.
Metformin has also become a very common treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, which is one of the metabolic conditions TikTokers have been saying berberine helps treat.
Still, Weintraub isn't convinced that berberine will be replacing metformin any time soon.
"I certainly would want to see more well-designed, large clinical trials conducted, and then maybe we could see if there is a place for it," he said.
Berberine might have more similar uses to metformin, a cheap diabetes drug also used for weight loss. Corbis News via Getty Images
Like many supplements, berberine is largely unregulated
The idea that berberine is somehow cleaner, better, or more pure than licensed, prescription drugs like Ozempic is one experts do not endorse.
"Like with any supplements sold over the counter — you don't even know what's in there, frankly," Rothberg said. "It could tout that it's berberine, it could actually be ephedra," she said, referencing the supplement that's banned in the US today because of its history prompting serious health issues including heart attacks and sudden deaths.
Rothberg said she once saw a patient taking an over-the-counter supplement with "some very abnormal blood," and when the patient's supplement was tested in the lab, the doctor discovered "all sorts of chemicals" inside, including the hormone testosterone, the stimulant amphetamine, and other substances that were never listed anywhere on the label.
"There's no true supervision of these over the counter supplements," she said.
For some people, berberine can be dangerous
Both medical experts Insider spoke with for this story agreed that pure berberine is a relatively safe, well-tolerated compound.
Some of the most common side effects for berberine, like metformin, include constipation, diarrhea, and an upset stomach. But providers said there are at least three groups of people who should definitely steer clear of berberine.
Those include:
Pregnant people , who can pass on a kind of irreversible brain damage to their children, called kernicterus, if they're on berberine
, who can pass on a kind of irreversible brain damage to their children, called kernicterus, if they're on berberine Breastfeeding mothers, because berberine can negatively impact child development
because berberine can negatively impact child development Anyone who's on other drugs should exercise caution, because berberine can impact a key enzyme which influences the way our body metabolizes many other drugs. If you are on other medications, you should check with your doctor first to make sure berberine won't result in any harmful interactions, like making your other medicine less effective.
The supplement also comes with an increased risk of bleeding and bruising, due to its anti-platelet effect.
"Natural doesn't mean it is better, more efficacious," Rothberg said. "In fact, it's often just the opposite."
Source: Insider
