Berberine for Cardiovascular Health – And More
Berberine comes from several different plants, most commonly in shrubs from the berberis family, thus the name. It has been used for thousands of years for general health, especially in Chinese medicine. It is good for helping with many ailments because it can affect change at the molecular level. It is one of the few supplements that has been proven in studies to be as effective as drugs. And it has so many benefits!
A placebo-controlled study provided the first evidence that berberine is a valuable supplement for diabetes and cardiovascular health. Berberine was shown to lower blood glucose, HbA1c (the best measure of long-term blood sugar and diabetes control), triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol significantly better than a placebo in people with type 2 diabetes.
When type 2 diabetics were given either berberine or the diabetes drug metformin, the berberine was equally effective for blood glucose, HbA1c and insulin. Berberine had an advantage over the drug, though, because it also lowered cholesterol and triglycerides. The study also found that adding the same dose of berberine to the treatment of people whose type 2 diabetes was not being adequately managed by drugs significantly lowered blood glucose, HbA1c, triglycerides, total cholesterol and the harmful LDL cholesterol. This means that overall, berberine was effective enough to help lower blood sugar levels all on its own.
There have been many studies done where Berberine’s effectiveness was similar to conventional drugs. It has been shown to significantly lower fasting blood glucose levels, insulin, triglycerides and HbA1c in type 2 diabetics. It can also help to reverse high blood sugar in people who are considered pre-diabetic. This means it can help adults who are found in blood tests to have high triglycerides or blood sugar at the warning stage. There is nothing more alarming than the doctor telling you the blood sugar levels are creeping up and warning that you need to take steps now or risk medical interventions. A pill or more a day, or worse, needles. And either way, blood sugar monitoring. Taking Preferred Nutrition or Dr. Whitaker Berberine may be able to help at this crucial ‘warning stage’.
Studies have not only shown that Berberine was as effective as drugs for diabetes, but also that it may be equal to drugs for lowering total and LDL cholesterol and superior to drugs for lowering triglycerides and raising the heart-healthy HDL cholesterol. It also found that berberine is superior to placebos for high blood pressure. Furthermore, Berberine has also been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of arrhythmias and heart failure. Adding Berberine to conventional treatment of congestive heart failure has been shown to significantly improve the results and help to turn things around, in conjunction with other lifestyle changes.