Berberine Benefits for Women – PCOS, Perimenopause, and More

Berberine-rich plants have been used for thousands of years to promote health and vitality. Modern research and clinical trials suggest berberine supplements have wide-ranging benefits, including for women’s health concerns such as PCOS, perimenopause, weight management, and disease prevention.

Berberine’s popularity is rising; it’s even been touted as “nature’s Ozempic” for its metabolic benefits. Today’s article will explore berberine for women’s health. Keep reading as we unpack:

• What is berberine?
• Health benefits of berberine
• Berberine for metabolic health
• Berberine for PCOS
• Berberine for perimenopause
• How to use berberine and best practices for use (hint: work with your healthcare team)

Let’s dive into this exciting topic!

What is Berberine?

Berberine is an alkaloid compound found in several plant species, including:

• Goldenseal
• Barberry
• Chinese goldthread
• Oregon grape root

Berberine can be consumed by taking herbal preparations of these medicinal plants, which is how it has been used for more than 2000 years by Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine practitioners and herbalists. Traditionally, doctors and herbalists used berberine-rich herbs to treat inflammatory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and diabetes.

Today, berberine is more commonly extracted from the whole plant and sold as a concentrated supplement. When extracted, berberine is a yellow powder that is not very water-soluble.

Berberine Health Benefits

Modern research suggests berberine has many health benefits, particularly for metabolism and cardiovascular health. Berberine may:

• Improve insulin sensitivity (reduce insulin resistance)
• Lower or balance blood sugar
• Support healthy blood pressure
• Improve lipid balance
• Decrease inflammation
• Protect the brain and neurons
• Modulate the gut microbiome
• Support weight loss
• Suppress tumor formation
• Aid in the prevention of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer

Although, the full mechanism for these effects is not fully understood, it’s clear that berberine has body-wide benefits that impact multiple systems and pathways.

The role of berberine in supporting a healthy gut microbiome may be the key to its systemic effects. Berberine tends to be poorly absorbed, allowing more berberine to stay in the digestive tract instead of entering the body.

Berberine can favorably shift the bacterial composition in the digestive system and elevate beneficial compounds, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). It’s thought that the beneficial microbiome changes account for at least part of its benefits for metabolic health.

Not only can berberine aid in prevention, but it’s used in integrative and functional medicine as part of a treatment approach for complex conditions, including:

• Heart disease
• Gastrointestinal diseases
• Atherosclerosis
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Autoimmunity, such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease
• PCOS
• And more!

Berberine and PCOS

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive-age women and one that we treat often at TārāMD. PCOS presents in several different ways and requires personalized care.

It’s common for women with PCOS to experience insulin resistance, and increased insulin resistance can drive PCOS hormonal changes in a viscous cycle. Berberine may help address the insulin resistance component in these cases. Improving insulin sensitivity helps to lower and balance blood sugar, support weight loss, improve ovulation, and reduce androgen levels in women with PCOS, thus improving fertility and reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Some studies suggest that berberine may be even more effective for PCOS than Metformin, which is a diabetes medication prescribed to women with PCOS and can be considered a first-line therapy. Berberine also tends to have fewer side effects compared to Metformin.

One study looked at normal-weight and overweight women with PCOS who continue to have regular menstrual cycles. Participants took 550 mg of berberine twice daily for 60 days. At the end of the study, the women had lower C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker), triglycerides, testosterone, body mass index (BMI), and visceral (belly) fat. They also had an increase in sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which tends to be low in PCOS.

Berberine for Perimenopause and Menopause

Perimenopause, the transition to menopause, and menopause bring significant hormonal changes for women. And although it’s a natural process, many women experience significant symptoms, such as insomnia, hot flashes, and joint pain. Additionally, the low estrogen landscape of menopause increases a woman’s risk for chronic diseases (including heart disease) and poor quality of life.

Estrogen is an essential hormone for metabolic health, and as it declines through perimenopause and menopause, the body becomes more insulin resistant. During this life phase, women may notice a change in body composition towards more abdominal fat, weight gain, and rising cholesterol levels. They report that the ways they’ve eaten and exercised don’t seem to work anymore.

Women in perimenopause and menopause may need to adjust their nutrition and lifestyle habits to counteract lower estrogen and the metabolic changes they’re experiencing. This approach can look like a blood sugar-balancing eating plan, strength training, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), and targeted supplements, such as berberine.

One research review states the beneficial effects of berberine for metabolism and health “suggest that this molecule could be an effective natural supplement to ensure a smooth peri- and postmenopausal transition.”

Best Practices for Using Berberine

Let’s explore some of the common questions about berberine.

Is berberine safe?

Berberine is typically safe when taken correctly at appropriate dosages and has a low incidence of side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort.

Berberine may interact with medications, so always check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting new supplements. Berberine has the potential to interact with statins, anti-tumor medications, and analgesics, including acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Berberine is not recommended for pregnant women, infants, children, and people with jaundice. It’s not the right fit for everyone.

What dose should I take?

Research dosages range from 900 to 2000 mg per day. A standard dosage for metabolic effects is 500 mg twice per day with a meal.

How long should I take berberine for?

There’s little data on the use of berberine over the long-term. Some practitioners recommend taking periodic breaks from supplements for this reason. One approach may be starting with three months of use. Then, you can repeat lab work and assess your body’s response. Some people will benefit from short-term use and others will see the benefits of continuing over time.

What berberine supplement do you recommend?

Because of berberine’s popularity, many products on the market. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know the quality and purity of many of the available options. A good supplement company will 3^rd party test each supplement batch and provide the results.

We always recommend practitioner-brand supplements available through Fullscript, which allows us to recommend specific, vetted brands to our patients.

The form of berberine is also a consideration. Liposomal berberine has higher absorption and bioavailability than standard berberine supplements and may be helpful depending on your goals.

We always recommend working with your integrative healthcare team for personalized information and supplement recommendations. Just because something is available over the counter doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone.

Luckily, you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. Your practitioner can help monitor your labs and symptoms over time to dial in an effective strategy for your specific goals. This patient-practitioner collaboration is exactly what you’ll find at TārāMD. If you’re curious about berberine or are searching for a fresh perspective and safe place to discuss your health concerns, please reach out today.

References

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2. Zhang, C., Sheng, J., Li, G., Zhao, L., Wang, Y., Yang, W., Yao, X., Sun, L., Zhang, Z., & Cui, R. (2020). Effects of Berberine and Its Derivatives on Cancer: A Systems Pharmacology Review.Frontiers in pharmacology, 10, 1461.
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5. 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.
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