Many people are calling Berberine, “nature’s Ozempic”, but is it really? Is it a healthy alternative to Ozempic and can it help meet your healthy weight goals? I am Dr. Iman Hypolite, a holistic psychiatrist with over 20 years of experience, specializing in optimizing health and wellness in professional women of color. As a holistic psychiatrist, why do I care about Berberine? In my women’s mental health practice specializing in the care of professional women of color, many clients present for care struggling to maintain a weight that is in line with their goals for optimal health. Often this is influenced by factors such as stress, lifestyle habits, age, menstrual status, genetic factors, and metabolic conditions such as pre-diabetes, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and polycystic ovarian disease (PCOS). Weight loss is an elusive goal and a major source of stress for increasing numbers of busy professionals with limited time to to be consistent with the self care and lifestyle interventions necessary to maintain healthy weight and overall health. Finding the time to prepare healthy meals, engage in physical activity, minimize stress, and even to get adequate sleep can be quite the feat. Yep, all four of these factors play a large role in healthy weight management. Difficulty maintaining consistency with one’s self care can be outright discouraging and lead to feelings of being ‘stuck’ and even declining health for some. It is no surprise that medications like Wegovy and Ozempic are taking the healthcare and weight loss industries by storm. I have many clients who have been able to meet their weight loss goals with Ozempic. I have some who tried them but had intolerable side effects. There is a growing demand for healthy alternatives to weight loss medications. There is also a growing body of evidence suggesting that inflammation is a root cause or at least a major driving factor in obesity AND mental health conditions; so the question of whether a natural supplement that could treat physical health conditions that increase the risk of mental health conditions definitely matters in my line of work! Could there be a natural supplement that actually helps reduce weight and inflammation with minimal risk of side effects?? Insert Berberine: Keep reading and I will explain how Berberine’s effects on appetite, blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation might be a game changer for some. As a Black/BIPOC psychiatrist, why do I care about Berberine? There is no shortage of reports about how Black women, and the BIPOC/Black community at large, are at considerably higher risk for obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, other metabolic disease, autoimmune (a.k.a. inflammatory) conditions, etc, etc. I will explore the impact this has on Black mental health in future blogs. Studies suggest that Berberine may be a tool to add to the arsenal of interventions to fight the epidemic of heart, metabolic, and autoimmune conditions in the BIPOC community. The potential benefits of berberine definitely matter to me because BIPOC physical and mental health matter to me! So what is Berberine? In the world of weight loss, there is no shortage of promises and magic potions, and that is not what Berberine is! Berberine is a substance found in plants like European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron, and tree turmeric. It has been used in Eastern medicine (Chinese and Ayurveda) for centuries, yep CENTURIES, to treat a host of conditions. As Western medicine is trying to catch up with the track record of Eastern medicine’s successes, as well as the growing demand amongst patients for natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals, there is increasing research in U.S. and other Western countries, which is validating many of the tried and true Eastern, natural methods and approaches to preventing, treating, and in some cases curing some illnesses. Berberine is being studied for a variety of potential health benefits, including: Don’t get me wrong, berberine is by no means a miracle pill for weight loss or dramatic overnight improvements in health; but for some, it can support sustainable weight loss and one’s larger health goals with lower risk of harsh side effects. As will most substances, natural and otherwise, there is a risk of potential side effects, so it is important to work closely with a physician when including any supplement in your wellness plan. Can Berberine Actually Help With Weight Loss? In some cases, YES! Berberine’s ability to aid in weight loss stems from its impact on multiple metabolic processes. In a nutshell, it can optimize your body’s “fat-burning machinery”. Here’s a breakdown of how Berberine works: 1. Insulin Sensitivity: Getting Your Body to Listen Insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, plays a crucial role in weight management. When your body becomes insulin resistant, it doesn’t respond effectively to insulin, leading to increased fat storage. Berberine steps in by enhancing your body’s response to insulin, which decreases excessive fat stores. 2. AMPK Activation: Your Body’s Metabolism Switch AMPK, an enzyme that regulates energy metabolism, is like the control panel for your body’s “fat-burning machinery”. Berberine activates AMPK, boosting your body’s ability to burn fat for energy. 3. Fat Cell Storage: Reducing The Excess Berberine directly impacts fat cells, making it harder for them to store fat and easier for them to release it. Essentially, Berberine enhances weight loss by decreasing fat-storage and increasing your body’s ability to burn fat. 4. Gut Health: A Healthy Gut for Healthy Weight Berberine promotes a balanced gut microbiome, supporting healthy digestion and nutrient absorption, which indirectly contributes to weight loss. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for overall health, including weight management and mental health. Also, berberine can considerably decrease that pesky abdominal bloat associated with gut microbiome imbalances. Check back for my upcoming blogs about the gut-brain connection, and how gut health impacts mental health. 5. Anti-inflammatory Powerhouse: Reducing Whole-Body Inflammation Berberine has potent anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce inflammation throughout the body. Studies reveal that there is a cyclical relationship between obesity and inflammation. Some call this meta-inflammation, the metabolic inflammatory state triggered
