Berberine
Also known as: Berberine HCl
Often called "natural metformin". Activates AMPK, improves insulin sensitivity, and has demonstrated cardiovascular benefits in multiple RCTs.
Mechanism of Action
AMPK activator → mimics caloric restriction signalling. Modulates gut microbiome. Inhibits PTP1B (insulin sensitisation).
Doses and timing reported in studies
Context, not a recommendation. Study links for this card are still being added, so check the original trials and talk to your doctor before you take anything, especially with medicines or health conditions.
Range used in trials
500mg 2–3x/day with meals
Timing used in trials
With meals (GI tolerance)
Stacks Well With
Caution
May interact with: metformin, blood-sugar-medications
Evidence grade
Moderate
Goals
Rubric
How evidence grades work
A grade summarises the strength of the human evidence for a compound or device category. It is not a score, it is not a rating of any brand, and it changes when new studies land.
- Strong
- Several randomised controlled trials or meta-analyses in people agree on direction, the effect is large enough to matter for the stated outcome, and safety is established over long use.
- Moderate
- Some human trials, but small, short, or mixed. Plausible benefit, with limited long-term safety data.
- Emerging
- Mostly animal or mechanism studies, or very small human studies. Interesting, not yet enough to act on.
- Weak
- Little or contradictory evidence, no benefit shown, or a safety concern outweighs the evidence.