The Powerful Supplement That No One’s Ever Heard of Before

We spend a good time at Valeo trying to comb through piles of research to find supplement recommendations that can help improve people’s health. Some of the supplements we often recommend include vitamin D to increase vitamin D levels and omega-3 to support anti-inflammatory pathways in the body - boring, I know.

But one highly effective supplement that we’re particularly fond of, that has been studied in a plethora of peer-reviewed scientific studies - and yet - that no one seems to have heard of before is: Berberine.

WHAT IS BERBERINE?

Berberine is a bioactive compound found naturally in the roots of many medicinally important plants such as Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal),and Berberis vulgaris (barberry).

Berberine had been historically used as an antibiotic for over 3000 years in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to treat a range of ailments, from diarrhea to eye infections, before its effects on modern day chronic disease -  namely diabetes and high cholesterol -  started gaining momentum.

AN ANCIENT REMEDY BACKED BY MODERN RESEARCH 

In a 2015 meta-analysis - a kind of “super-study” that reviews all the research published on a subject - confirmed the ancient remedy’s efficacy in “improving type 2 diabetes”, “improving high cholesterol”, and “reducing hypertension”, without causing the slightest side-effect! This “super-study” had summarized the evidence from 27 clinical trials.

One of the studies included in this meta-analysis found that supplementation with 1000 mg of berberine daily significantly reduced fasting blood glucose by 21% from an average of 126 mg/dL to 100 mg/dL in 3 months.

In an older meta-analysis from 2012 including over 1000 type 2 diabetics, berberine was even found to be as effective as conventional blood sugar medication for reducing fasting blood glucose!

More so, another meta-analysis published in 2018 - drawing on 16 clinical trials and including more than 2000 participants - showed that the use of berberine remarkably lowered the blood levels of LDL (bad cholesterol), triglycerides, and total cholesterol, while also increasing the levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) when used alone as therapy or in adjunction to medication. 

Scientific evidence also supports the positive effects of berberine in a number of other health conditions such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and PCOS, and according to clinicaltrials.gov, there are currently 18 clinical trials being conducted on berberine’s potential effects on conditions ranging from gastric cancer and inflammation to liver disease.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

In brief, we don’t exactly know. But the theory is that berberine activates an enzyme called AMPK which is present in the muscle and liver. This enzyme is directly involved in improving the sensitivity of tissues to insulin -  the hormone that helps lower blood sugar.

Studies also show that berberine may act by accelerating the breakdown of blood sugar to produce energy (a process known as glycolysis) and decrease the production of glucose in the liver (a.k.a the process of gluconeogenesis) which helps keep the blood vessels clear more efficiently.

WHY IS VALEO BERBERINE+ SO EFFECTIVE?

Beyond the research findings, what further fuels our enthusiasm for berberine is the remarkable improvement in the blood biomarkers of Valeo users that we see on a daily basis (with decreased levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and HbA1c) after they try Valeo’s Berberine+.

What sets Valeo’s Berberine+ apart from other supplements is its purity: the extract of Berberis vulgaris we use is standardized to 97% berberine, the highest percentage you’ll find on the market.

In addition, the dose (3 x 500mg capsules a day with food) corresponds to what is tested in the majority of clinical trials.

So we have this naturally sourced supplement that is highly effective, clinically-supported, with empirical evidence dating back thousands of years, and that may very well be the knockout punch to lower your blood sugar and cholesterol. But could it work for you? Book a free consultation with a Valeo health expert to find out.