Supplement · Adaptogens & traditional herbs
Berberine
A plant alkaloid with solid human evidence for blood sugar and lipids.
- Evidence
- Gold· human data
- Sources cited
- 1
- Last reviewed
- 22 July 2026
Berberine is a plant alkaloid with unusually solid human evidence for a botanical: multiple trials show meaningful reductions in blood glucose and improvements in lipids, working partly through the energy-sensing enzyme AMPK.
Its glucose-lowering effect has even been compared to some diabetes medications in trials, making it one of the better-evidenced supplements for metabolic health. The trade-off is common gut upset (splitting doses helps) and meaningful drug interactions, so medical advice matters, especially alongside glucose-lowering medication.