Hormones- for or against weight loss? Berberine supplementation benefits.
By now, I am sure you know at least one individual who is currently taking or has tried taking Ozempic or Wegovy (Sematglutide) for either weight loss or Diabetes mellitus management. I have at least one patient a day ask me if they would be a candidate for this medication.
These injectable medications are GLP-1 agonists, which stands for Glucagon-like-peptide-1. This peptide is one of two Incretin Hormones our body’s produce to stimulate insulin secretion after eating and prevent glucagon release.
Glucagon is a hormone your pancreas releases that works directly with your liver to break down the food you eat to make glucose. Your body uses this Glucose as its main energy source. Glucagon can tell your liver to not store glucose, keeping glucose in the bloodstream. Glucagon can also tell your liver to release glycogen (stored glucose) to bring glucose in the blood stream.
If you haven’t eaten for a certain time, you can develop hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). To prevent this, glucagon will ask your liver to release the glycogen to stabilize blood glucose levels until you eat carbohydrates. Think of this as your body’s savings account for energy.
If you see a pattern with these hormones, it is keeping glucose in the bloodstream. So, what does this have to do with weight loss? Nothing. Your body can actually work against you when it comes to weight loss. Your body is always in survival mode. Your organs do not know when you will be eating again, therefore maintaining a protective mechanism to prevent you from crashing.
This is where insulin comes in. Insulin is made by the pancreas. In a healthy individual, the pancreas and liver can work together to balance carbohydrate intake by releasing enough insulin to decrease glucose levels dependent on your energy needs. When your body releases insulin, decreasing plasma blood glucose, this slows gastric emptying (maintaining a feeling of fullness). If you feel full, you will not eat again until your body needs more fuel for energy requirements. In an individual with Diabetes who already has trouble with insulin secretion or insulin resistance, this process is even more impaired.
These medications act as a synthetic version of the body’s GLP-1 hormone, helping your body to release insulin, making you feel fuller by slowing gastric emptying, which ultimately will reduce your oral intake, eventually leading to weight loss.
Is this too good to be true? While I have seen many diabetic patients successfully lower their HGB A1C (best decrease was from 11.6% to 6.2%). A HGB A1C needs to be above 6.5% for someone to be diagnosed with Diabetes. I have seen weight loss in Diabetics and non-diabetics as well, anywhere from 5-50lbs. These medications are a game changer for people with DM2, obese individuals and people with insulin resistance secondary from another metabolic syndrome. However, because they are in such demand, the medications are often out of stock. These medications can also be very costly depending on insurance. Medicare will not cover the medication for non-diabetics (weight loss purposes). These medications can be taken for long periods of time, however if you stop taking them, the satiety hormones (leptin) which makes you feel full and reduces oral intake decrease. This response means you could gain the weight which has been lost back. This is not sustainable.
I have just started prescribing these medications within the past year. Prescribers are not aware of possible long-term effects from these medications because they are so new. Some possible side effects include Pancreatitis history and Medullary thyroid cancers (rare in humans), both of these complications were noted in the clinical trials with mice.
This brings us to Berberine. I needed you to understand more about your body’s normal process for glucose management to understand Berberine. Berberine has been around for thousands of years and was first used as an antimicrobial “medicine”. Berberine is derived from a plant.
A meta-analysis of over 2000 studies from 2022 revealed:
When taking Berberine for 12 consecutive weeks:
Berberine can naturally increase GLP-1 (resulting in the above we discussed- weight loss by increasing satiety).
Berberine has been noted to increase AMPK activation. AMPK is known as the bodies energy system. Think of batteries providing power. “AMPK regulates an array of biological activities that normalize lipid, glucose, and energy imbalances. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) occurs when these AMPK-regulated pathways are turned off, triggering a syndrome that includes hyperglycemia, diabetes, lipid abnormalities, and energy imbalances. In other words, activating AMPK can produce the same benefits as exercise, dieting, and weight loss (Schor, J. 2014).
Berberine has been noted to decrease insulin resistance in women with PCOS. This would mean lower instances of hyperglycemia and can help with weight loss.
Berberine has been compared to Metformin (a prescription medication given for DM2).
There are so many additional benefits Berberine can produce including anti-inflammatory properties, gut health, cholesterol control, reducing atherosclerotic heart disease, helping to prevent cancer(s) and Alzheimers. Berberine is being studied currently for all of the above.
Most clinical studies recommend a dosage of 500mg twice daily. You CAN take too much though and experience signs of toxicity including lethary, stupor and daze, vomiting and diarrhea, and nephritis (drugs.com).
Pregnant/lactating women and children should not take Berberine because clinical studies are usually not completed for this group of people, therefore unknown potential side effects could arise.
If you research Berberine more in depth, you will probably see that our bodies do not absorb much of what we would take with Berberine dosing, however you can see all of the potential benefits Berberine can provide.
Of course, it is always recommended you complete your own research and consult with your Primary Care Provider before starting any supplements.
Common side effects include gastrointestinal upset.
You can purchase Berberine anywhere. I found a 3 month supply on Amazon for $26.99. You can purchase this by clicking the link below (amazon affiliate link).
I purchased this product and have started taking this today. I will check back in with you in various intervals with my personal experience. I will be taking body measurements tonight. I’ll post everything on social media as well.
Clinical Applications for Berberine. (n.d.). Www.naturalmedicinejournal.com. https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/clinical-applications-berberine
