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A cheap herbal supplement has been shown to deliver a one-two punch to high cholesterol and high blood sugar levels. The finding is significant because diabetes and high cholesterol often come together.
Berberine hydrochloride, commonly known as berberine, is a compound found in several plants. It has been widely used to treat type 2 diabetes due to its ability to regulate blood sugar and lipid levels.
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Several studies have demonstrated its ability to reduce blood glucose levels but one stands out from the crowd. In a review of 14 studies, published in the journal Hindawi, berberine was found to be as effective as certain oral diabetes drugs, including metformin, glipizide, and rosiglitazone.
Berberine combined with lifestyle changes works better than lifestyle changes alone in treating high cholesterol
Getty ImagesIn a separate review of 27 studies conducted on the effects of Berberine on blood sugar levels, the researchers found that, alongside improvements in lifestyle, supplementing with berberine reduced fasting blood sugar levels without any serious side effects.
Berberine has also shown promise in treating high cholesterol.
In one study, published in Nature Medicine, 32 patients with high cholesterol supplemented with berberine three months.
By the end of the study, LDL cholesterol - the "bad" type - was reduced by 25 percent, prompting the researchers to hail berberine as a potential new cholesterol-lowering drug with a "mechanism of action different from that of statin drugs".
Similarly, researchers in another study concluded that the effects of berberine might be similar to those of drugs that reduce high cholesterol, while berberine does not cause the same side effects.
A literature review found that berberine combined with lifestyle changes works better than lifestyle changes alone in treating high cholesterol.
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Speaking to GB News, Carolina Goncalves, Superintendent Pharmacist at Pharmica reports, cites research showing that berberine lowers blood sugar by activating an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).
This enzyme enhances insulin sensitivity by promoting the movement of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the cell membrane, which increases glucose uptake into muscle and fat cells.
Additionally, berberine boosts a system similar to the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which increases insulin production, explains Ms Goncalves.
This extra insulin helps your body become less resistant to it, meaning cells respond better to insulin.
As a result, liver, muscles, and fat tissues can use the sugar in the blood more effectively, keeping blood sugar levels lower.
The mechanism by which berberine lowers cholesterol is less clear. According to some research, berberine works by inhibiting an enzyme called PCSK9. This leads to more LDL cholesterol being removed from your bloodstream.