PCOS and Berberine

"Should I take Berberine for my PCOS?"

Hello everyone,

How was your week?

The weather in London is not reflecting summer ☀️ but we are staying positive and enjoying the longer days and relaxing pace. In today’s newsletter, I would like to touch on another popular supplement within the PCOS space: Berberine.

"Should I take Berberine for my PCOS?"

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What is Berberine?

Berberine is a compound extracted from the plant family Berberis which has around 500 species in it. These plants have been used for centuries to treat different diseases, particularly in Chinese Medicine.

Recent evidence shows that berberine can have an impact on a lot of different health markers. I genuinely believe in the power of natural remedies, and research like this further proves that there is a lot of wisdom within traditional medicine. It is essential to stay alert so we are not buying snake oil, but as patients, we shouldn't entirely dismiss herbs and plants as a possible complementary aid in our treatments.

How does Berberine help PCOS?

Berberine has some serious evidence behind it with high-quality studies. Specifically for PCOS, Berberine has been shown to:

1. After six months of use, berberine alone achieved a 36% ovulation rate per cycle, similar to metformin. It is considered a compound that can help with fertility in women with PCOS

2. It can decrease the levels of Leutenising Hormone (if you want to revise how LH impacts PCOS, head over here)

3. When analysed in vitro, berberine can significantly reduce total testosterone and is more effective than Metformin

4. It can help lower insulin resistance as it has been shown to decrease fasting glucose levels. This compound has also been studied in type 2 diabetes patients with similar results.

5. It can decrease cholesterol levels by lowering LDL (to revise Cholesterol in PCOS, please head over here)

6. Lastly, it has been shown to reduce waist circumference and body fat distribution. However, despite being labelled as ‘Nature’s Ozempic’ on social media, weight loss results are inconsistent.

Given it acts on glucose metabolism, LH and Testosterone, it makes sense why it’s a popular PCOS supplement. It seems to be quite a miracle compound.

Berberine, Myo-inositol or Metformin?

It can get quite confusing with the amount of different supplements and medications you can take for PCOS. This is where research can help.

All of the above has been shown to help decrease health markers associated with PCOS (Androgens, Waist Circumferences, Cholesterol Levels, Glucose levels, Weight), but which one is better for what?

A randomised control study comparing Berberine, Myo-inositol and Metformin, without any diet changes, showed the following:

• Berberine is better at reducing Testosterone levels than Myo-inositol and Metformin

• Myo-inositol seems to improve insulin markers better than Metformin and Barberin.

• Regarding cholesterol levels, Berberine did better than Myo-inositol and Metformin.

• Berberine also did better in reducing Wast Circumeferences, but not weight.

All in all, Berberine seems to win in many of these markers. I really need to give it a try.

How much Berberine is effective?

The above-randomised control trial supplemented patients with 1g of Berberine per day (split into two 500mg dosages) for 12 weeks. Other research studies supplemented patients with 300mg-1g/day.

My advice with supplements is to always start with a lower dose and take them under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Is Berberine safe to take?

Berberine seems to have a safe profile. In rare cases, the significant side effects of berberine can result from overdose, including diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence, and abdominal pain.

Should I take Berberine for my PCOS?

Berberine seems to be a good supplement for PCOS. I recommend talking to a healthcare provider when considering taking supplements, as they can help guide you on dosage and look out for potential interactions with your medical history and other medication.

However, Berberine is a good one to try.

I hope you enjoyed learning about Berberine. As usual, if you have questions you’d like me to answer, please submit them here.

See you next Sunday,

Francesca

¹ Sources

1. Mishra, N., Verma, R., & Jadaun, P. (2022). Study on the effect of berberine, myoinositol, and metformin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A prospective randomised study. Cureus, 14(1), e21781. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.21781

Neag, M. A., Mocan, A., Echeverría, J., Pop, R. M., Bocsan, C. I., Crişan, G., & Buzoianu, A. D. (2018). Berberine: Botanical occurrence, traditional uses, extraction methods, and relevance in cardiovascular, metabolic, hepatic, and renal disorders. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9, 557. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2018.00557

Xie, L., Zhang, D., Ma, H., He, H., Xia, Q., Shen, W., Chang, H., Deng, Y., Wu, Q., Cong, J., Wang, C. C., & Wu, X. (2019). The effect of berberine on reproduction and metabolism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: ECAM, 2019, 7918631. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7918631

Disclaimer: We are all unique in our ways, so this information is for educational purposes only. In my communications, I summarise research data and bring my experience. This shouldn’t be viewed as medical advice at any point. Please further consult your healthcare provider about your health needs.