Because berberine is a supplement and the supplement industry is not properly regulated, Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDE, a certified diabetes educator based in Prescott, Arizona, says one of her worries with berberine is that it is a supplement. “You have to be wary about it if you buy a supplement because you never really know what’s in it,” she advises.
Foroutan states that the usual dosage of berberine is 500 mg, administered two to three times a day, and there are some side effects to be aware of. Although it’s generally well tolerated, the Biochemistry and Cell Biology study states that some people have reported experiencing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation. When taken at a high dose, it can also cause headaches, skin rashes, and bradycardia, which is a sluggish heartbeat. According to a previous study, 34.5 percent of individuals had gastrointestinal side effects. You might be able to start by taking the 500 mg dose once a day and then raise the quantity after your body gets used to it, according to Foroutan, who also claims that digestive problems should go away in a few days or a week. (Because every person is unique, make sure to consult your medical team about what dosage is best for you.)
According to MedlinePlus, berberine can cause issues for persons whose blood sugar is being controlled by insulin or another medicine by causing blood sugar levels to drop too low, despite the fact that it is known to lower blood sugar. There is a chance that, for example, if someone is taking metformin and then adds a berberine supplement to it, their blood sugar levels may fall lower than they anticipate because berberine does appear to lower blood sugar levels in some individuals, according to Grieger.
Finally, berberine and several drugs may interfere. Grieger claims that when doctors inquire about your medications, patients frequently only name their prescription meds and leave out dietary supplements. Consumers tend to believe that supplements and herbs are automatically safe, she adds. Grieger advises seeing your doctor and pharmacist before taking any kind of supplement, including berberine, as this isn’t always the case.
