Is this Nature's Ozempic? Berberine the super natural extract.

Is Berberine Nature's Ozempic?

There has been a lot of buzz lately about the natural supplement called berberine on TikTok and social media calling it nature's Ozempic as well as the Ozempic tempest itself that seem to be going on.

Recently there has been a lot of people looking to lose weight the easy way with a new magic potion drug called Ozempic. In fact it has become such a fad that even 35% of young healthy people are taking it these days just to avoid having to go to the gym! 

Now while it may actually help people lose weight in a miraculous fashion there are some concerning issues regarding its use and possible (read probable) side effects, including permanent vision loss! 

Here are 3 recent mainstream news articles (my commentary added) that can help us determine the truth and whether or not berberine may be beneficial to you, and why Ozempic may not be the ideal weight loss plan. 

(NOTE: Please note the Article #3 and the possible drug interactions and act accordingly. Nothing here should be taken as medical advice and these words should be taken as analytic in nature). 

A Harvard research Study Links Ozempic To Vision Loss... 

Article #1 from ZeroHedge.com news:

Another study has been published suggesting that patients taking semaglutide—the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's blockbuster drug Ozempic—may face a higher risk of developing a rare eye condition that can lead to blindness. 

"The glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) semaglutide has quickly become a key treatment for managing type 2 diabetes and obesity. Recent findings have raised concern about a potential association between semaglutide use and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION)," according to a new Danish–Norwegian study, backing up similar results from a Harvard University study published in July.

Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, occurs when blood flow to the optic nerve is blocked, causing sudden vision loss.

"The vision loss is usually irreversible and there is no treatment. Given the serious nature of this potential adverse effect of semaglutide, we leveraged the nationwide Danish and Norwegian health registries to further investigate this association," according to authors from the University of Southern Denmark, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and the University of Copenhagen.

The authors emphasized: "Given the well-established effects of semaglutide in managing both diabetes and obesity, it is crucial to weigh the potential risk of NAION against the substantial therapeutic benefits of semaglutide. While the association observed for the use of semaglutide in type 2 diabetes represents a two-fold or higher relative risk increase..."

The Nordic study comes months after Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear found the rising risk of Ozempic patients developing NAION.

(Read the full article here)

This is not the best news for sure. 

Article #2: from ZeroHedge news website: 

Berberine: One Of The Most Powerful Tools We Have To Regulate Insulin:

What are the Health Benefits of Berberine?
(Note—there is no question that more research into this compound is needed. But there is overwhelming evidence that this drug has many health benefits and should not be overlooked when assessing the use of dietary nutraceutical supplements.)

Atherosclerosis
“Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arteries, and is the underlying cause of about 50% of all deaths in westernized society”

“Berberine is an extract of Chinese traditional herbs that is known for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects in the digestive system. Its underlying anti-CVD (cardiovascular disease) mechanisms are currently attracting interest, and its pharmacological actions, such as antioxidation, regulation of neurotransmitters and enzymes, and cholesterol-lowering effects, have been substantiated. Recent studying found that berberine could inhibit both the proliferation and apoptosis of VSMCs (vascular smooth muscle cells) induced by mechanical stretch stress simultaneously, which suggests that berberine might be an excellent drug to treat atherosclerosis.” Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2021
Blood Pressure
Berberine has been shown to help control blood pressure.

Blood Sugar Control (Insulin Regulation)
Berberine has been shown to significantly lower glucose levels in diabetic patients.

One study shows that berberine plus probiotics had the greatest effect on blood sugar levels, although berberine alone also was clinically significant in reducing blood glucose levels, whereas placebo and probiotics-alone control treatments were ineffective in these studies. It was noted that berberine induced more gastrointestinal side effects relative to the control groups.

Cholesterol
“Men randomized to berberine had larger reductions in total cholesterol (-0.39 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.70 to -0.08) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-0.07 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.13 to -0.01) after 12 weeks. Considering changes after 8 and 12 weeks together, berberine lowered total cholesterol and possibly low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), and possibly increased testosterone.” Nutrients, 2021.
Taking berberine supplements regularly appears to lower total cholesterol, “bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides in people with high cholesterol. As it is not a statin and works through other pathways than statin drugs, it may be beneficial for people who wish to lower cholesterol but do not wish to take statins or are resistant to statins.

Heart Disease
People with heart disease often have fatigue and irregular heartbeats. Studies show that taking berberine supplement combined with standard heart disease treatments reduces these symptoms. Berberine reduced the risk of death from heart disease without apparent side effects.

“One hundred fifty-six patients with CHF and >90 ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) and/or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) on 24-hour Holter monitoring were randomly divided into 2 groups. All patients were given conventional therapy for CHF, consisting of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, digoxin, diuretics, and nitrates. Patients in the treatment group (n = 79) were also given berberine 1.2 to 2.0 g/day. The remaining 77 patients were given placebo.” …
“After treatment with berberine, there was a significantly greater increase in LVEF, exercise capacity, improvement of the dyspnea-fatigue index, and a decrease of frequency and complexity of VPCs compared with the control group. There was a significant decrease in mortality in the berberine-treated patients during long-term follow-up … p <0.02).” AM J Cardiology, 2003 Note—this study was conducted in 2003, and yet only crickets have been heard from the American Heart Association concerning the benefits of berberine.

(Read the full article here)

Well this seems to be amazing news and how many people could benefit from the proper use of this natural supplement?

Lets check out what the Mayo clinic has to say in their about berberine in their article from July, 2023.

Article #3 - MAYO CLINIC

Berberine is a promising supplement — but it’s not a magical weight-loss solution 

Step aside, Ozempic — there’s a trending, alternative weight-loss supplement on the scene.

The supplement berberine has been branded as “nature’s Ozempic” on social media. Ozempic is a type 2 diabetes drug known by the generic name semaglutide that also is used for weight loss. Semaglutide has skyrocketed in popularity as an often effective (albeit sometimes very expensive) weight-loss measure.

Tara A. Schmidt, M.Ed., RDN, LD, a registered dietitian with Mayo Clinic, thinks the term “nature’s Ozempic” for berberine is good marketing — but not necessarily honest or helpful.

Although research suggests some good uses for berberine, it’s not ready for prime time as an obesity treatment. And you should always take a beat to scrutinize a claim that a supplement is “natural,” Schmidt says.

“If you are looking at something that’s being considered a ‘natural’ version of a medication, it can look really appealing,” says Schmidt. But the natural label does not guarantee a pure and unprocessed substance, and consumers may not realize that a supplement can seriously interfere with other medications they are taking.

And even if a supplement truly comes from natural sources, it’s still unlikely to provide a quick and easy fix for health conditions such as obesity.

“With weight loss and with diabetes management, even when (we offer) a prescription medication, we always, always, always also combine it with lifestyle interventions,” she says. “So when people get excited about supplements out there, even if there is some evidence, we can’t just assume that it’s magic — even Ozempic’s not magic in itself.”

What is the supplement berberine?
Berberine is a type of plant substance known as an alkaloid, and is found in a variety of plants, including barberry, goldenseal, Oregon grapes and coptis. These plants have long been used in traditional medicines — including Native American and Chinese practices — to treat a wide variety of illnesses, including eye conditions, diarrhea, jaundice and acne.

Today, berberine is available in supplement form and taken orally, though it is sometimes delivered intravenously or topically.

What is berberine used for?
According to TikTok, a whole lot. Alongside first-person online testimonials about weight loss, skim through social media and you’ll find people who are using berberine for ailments like high cholesterol, insulin resistance and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

While such a wide array of benefits seems too good to be true, a look at the research shows that berberine is indeed ripe with possibility. Researchers are exploring many possible uses of berberine including as a treatment for diabetes, obesity, cancer, PCOS, high cholesterol and more.

However, research is still limited, especially as some of the studies done thus far were small or performed on animals, Schmidt says. Even so, some of the most encouraging results for berberine thus far are for:

Lowering cholesterol. Studies have demonstrated that berberine may reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides.
Diabetes. Berberine may improve blood sugar measures such as fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in those with type 2 diabetes, and by some measures may work about as well as the commonly prescribed oral diabetes medication metformin.
PCOS with insulin resistance. Berberine supplements may lower testosterone levels, improve cholesterol, lower fasting blood sugar levels and decrease measures of insulin resistance in people with PCOS and insulin resistance.
You may notice that obesity didn’t make the shortlist. That’s because there aren’t enough high-quality studies on the subject, though there has been some research showing that berberine supplementation may help reduce weight.

What are the risks of berberine?
Berberine may be safe when taken in recommended amounts — with the exceptions that it should not be used by children or people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

The main side effects are gastrointestinal (GI) and include nausea, constipation, diarrhea, gas and vomiting. But Schmidt sees a much more pressing potential risk than GI symptoms.

“The scary thing is that it interacts with a ton of medications. There is a very long list of meds that could possibly interact with the berberine,” Schmidt says. “Don’t take this unless you speak to your medical provider first.'”

Possible interactive medications include anti-clotting drugs, sedating medications such as zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar) and diabetes drugs including metformin.

How does berberine work?

It potentially works in a bunch of different ways. It’s considered antimicrobial and may alter the bacteria in your gut. In addition, berberine may affect a wide variety of body functions, and is thought to act as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer substance.

Berberine’s effects on insulin and gut microbiota may be partially responsible for potential weight loss, Schmidt says. And one animal study showed that it affected glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) — a hormone involved in insulin secretion — which semaglutide also affects.

Some people on social media are claiming that the supplement berberine is helping them lose weight by lessening their appetite.

“One week in. 3 pounds down. All the snack chatter in my head has disappeared,” one TikTok commenter wrote. Another chimed in, “Same thing happened to me! Food noise gone and hunger really reduced.”

Better blood sugar regulation may explain a more regulated appetite, Schmidt says.

“If you’re not having those highs and lows in your blood sugar, you might not feel that more extreme hunger,” she says.

It’s also possible that some people experience a reduced appetite due to berberine’s possible GI side effects such as nausea, she says. This can lead to the question, “Did the side effects impact my hunger, or is the supplement actually regulating my appetite?”

How much berberine should I take?
As with any supplement, it’s best not to take any berberine until you’ve talked with a member of your health care team, especially as berberine may interact with other medications or supplements. Definitely don’t drop a prescription drug such as metformin in favor of berberine without talking to your prescribing doctor or a pharmacist.

It’s thought that taking 1.5 grams of berberine every day — sometimes split into multiple doses — for six months or less is safe.

(Read the full article here)

Well it looks like even the Mayo Clinic has nothing bad to say about berberine and I found these articles very informative and I would definitely follow their advice about talking to those who have prescribed the medications to you about these things if your goal is to be free from dependency on pharmaceutical drugs and the possible (read probable) side effects that are associated with them.

I also find it noteworthy that berberine has possible interactions with certain drugs noted in article #3 as seen:

anti-clotting drugs, sedating medications such as zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar) and diabetes drugs including metformin.

To me, the fact of possible interactions tells me that there are dual effects coming from both the berberine and the drugs listed and causing a "double reaction" or doubling and/or multiplying the same or similar effects. This is basically saying that you can get the same/similar results from berberine as you do these drugs. 

In summary I believe that berberine can be a benefit to some in reducing dependency on pharmaceuticals and increasing dependency on nutraceuticals, natural foods, herbs and spices, oils and simple exercise are the best way to return to good health. We all have to start the journey back to natural from where we find ourselves and it is not always easy. 

Berberine is a very commonly available supplement widely available from many reputable suppliers, so it may be worth having some on hand and considering implementing some in your nutritional planning.

Best to all.