If you take Glucocil, we assume you know something about berberine. It’s one of Glucocil’s ingredients! It lowers the production of sugar in the liver and increases the use of sugar throughout the body.
Recently it’s been hyped as being a natural weight loss drug. TikTokers claim it’s “Nature’s Ozempic,” saying it makes people lose weight like Ozempic does. Celebrities have been using Ozempic to shed pounds; now influencers claim berberine will help people lose more than a pound a week.
Berberine hasn’t been studied for weight loss. Studies have found it aids the metabolic system, blood sugar and heart but there hasn’t been much evidence about weight loss.
Some animal studies have suggested berberine may aid weight loss. It tamped down the gene expression of the genes that aid the growth of fat. And it helped suppress appetite. But the results might not carry over to humans.
“Berberine decreases the secretion of leptin, a natural hormone which stimulates appetite,” said registered dietician Scott Keatley. “But, unlike mice, which are the vast majority of test subjects for berberine, we have other compensatory systems to signal hunger.”
Keri Gans, registered dietician nutritionist, agreed, “More controlled human studies are needed.”
Berberine isn’t like most other supplements. It’s not found in common foods. If you want to take it, you have to turn to a supplement. It comes from shrubs like barberry, goldthread, Oregon grape and tree turmeric. While it isn’t found in food, it has been in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.
“Berberine [aids] blood sugar by increasing the amount of glucose that is taken into muscle cells. It does this regardless of insulin status,” Dr. Charlie Seltzer, a double board-certified physician in obesity and internal medicine, said. “It also activates an enzyme called AMPK which may have anti-cancer and anti-aging properties.”
“There are a few studies that show berberine can suppress appetite, but the impact is negligible compared to Ozempic,” Dr. Seltzer said. “If you can’t procure Ozempic, it may be worthwhile to try berberine, but I would not expect too much from a weight loss standpoint.”
Before taking any medication or supplement, you should speak to your doctor. Discuss your options if you want to do more for weight loss. If you take Glucocil, you’re taking berberine twice a day already. Adding more most likely wouldn’t be a healthy move. However, your doctor may have other ideas about healthy additions to your routine!
