Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

VIDEO: Berberine - The Wonder Herb for Diabetes

Many of my patients, readers and viewers asked me a very common question, "What supplements are alternatives to pharmaceutical prescriptions for diabetes?" In this video I will discuss the science and the proven effectiveness of "Wonder Herb" Berberine for natural diabetes management.

Hi I'm Dr. Mark Stengler from the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine. Many of our patients and many of my readers and viewers asked me a very common question. What supplements are alternatives to pharmaceutical prescriptions for diabetes? It depends how well your diabetes is controlled. There are certainly some patients we see their blood sugar so out of control that they need medication, at least for a period of time while we help them lose weight or address under, other underlying causes why they have diabetes. Sometimes we have to use a combination of things. But one of the supplements I commonly use with patients because it has such good research is what's known as Berberine Sulfate. Berberine Sulfate is an herb that's been used in studies showing it reduces blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. In a study published in The Journal "Metabolism" a mainstream journal, researchers gave adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, five hundred milligrams of either Berberine or the common diabetes drug Metformin, three times a day for three months. Researchers found that Berberine provided similar results to Metformin in terms of the regulation of glucose metabolism and fasting blood glucose. And Berberine reduced the amount of insulin needed to turn glucose into energy by 45%. In addition, those taking Berberine had lower triglyceride or fats in their blood and total cholesterol levels than those taking Metformin. In a separate study, researchers compared people with type 2 diabetes who took either 1000 milligrams daily of Berberine or daily doses of Metformin or Avandia. After two months Berberine had lowered people's fasting blood glucose levels by an average of about 30%. And improvement or the Avandia group. And almost as much as the metformin group. Berberine also reduced people's hemoglobin A1C, which is your average of about three months of your blood sugar average by 18%. Equal to the Avandia group and almost as good as the Metformin group. In addition, Berberine lowered serum insulin levels by 28.2% lower triglycerides by 17.5%, and actually improved liver enzyme levels. And lastly, a 3rd study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers found that in type 2 diabetes people who are given either berberine or placebo The Berberine group had significant reductions in fasting and post meal blood glucose, triglycerides, hemoglobin A1C, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol. And on average they lost five pounds. So you can see one the more credible supplements people can use that has good science behind it good safety is Berberine and I use it quite commonly with my patients. I hope you found this helpful. For a complete list of treatments offered and conditions addressed at this Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine, Please visit our website. Call, or email the clinic with any questions you may have.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT