Can Berberine Help Prevent or Treat Type 2 Diabetes?

Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.

In addition to medications, lifestyle changes, and other methods of keeping blood sugar under control, researchers continue to look at how berberine as a supplement or ingredient can help you manage type 2 diabetes. Results, however, are not conclusive.

How Berberine Affects Blood Sugar

Berberine alone is not a substitute for other elements of diabetes care, such as insulin, metformin, and positive changes to your diet and exercise. But researchers are looking at ways that it may contribute to controlling your blood sugar.

Prediabetes and Berberine

“Nobody just wakes up one day with diabetes — it’s a slow process,” Foroutan says.

Other Potential Benefits of Berberine

Berberine has a history of potentially addressing other conditions that can cause complications with type 2 diabetes — although the FDA has not approved its use for any specific health issue.

• Lowering Cholesterol The supplement may reduce lipid levels and total cholesterol.

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• Regulating Gut Bacteria It may change the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, which can influence inflammation, metabolism, and blood sugar control, though more research is needed.

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• Lowering Blood Pressure In some cases, berberine may increase the effect of medication designed to lower blood pressure.

Berberine Side Effects and Medication Interactions

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Bloating
• Constipation

Foroutan says that the digestive issues should go away within a few days or a week, and that you may be able to start by taking a 500-milligram dose once a day and then increase the amount once your body gets used to it. Because everyone’s different, be sure to ask your healthcare team which dosage is right for you.

Keep in mind, as well, that supplements such as berberine are not regulated by the FDA, says Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES, a diabetes educator in Prescott, Arizona.

“If you buy a supplement, you’re never exactly sure what’s in it, so you have to be cautious about that,” she says.

Grieger adds that you should always tell your doctor about any herbs or supplements you take, as they may have negative interactions with other medications.

“Berberine does seem to lower blood sugar levels in some people, so there’s a risk that, say, they’re taking metformin and then they add the berberine supplement to it and their blood sugar could drop lower than they think,” she says.

Who Shouldn’t Take Berberine?

Although berberine is generally safe for adults to take short term, it is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as infants.

The Takeaway

• A compound found in certain plants, berberine may help improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes, although it is not considered a stand-alone treatment.
• Berberine can interact with diabetes medications and blood thinners, potentially causing blood sugar to drop too low and increasing your risk of bleeding.
• The FDA does not regulate supplements such as berberine the same way it does other medications, and you should always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.

Additional reporting by Tony Stasiek.