A superstar herbal compound with scientifically proven actions
You may not be familiar with berberine, which actually is not an herb, but a single compound that’s present in a variety of medicinal plants. It can be extracted from any of these plants and used to make a supplement. It’s found in Berberis aquifolium, Berberis vulgaris, Hydrastis canadensis, Phellodendron amurense, Coptis chinensis and several others.
It’s unusual for a single plant compound to be present in so many different herbs, but maybe that’s a sign that it’s an extra special herbal compound!
Visually, it’s hard to miss berberine’s rich, bright yellow color, which can even be used as a natural dye. It’s a distant relative to the ever-popular curcumin, and many of their health benefits overlap. Like curcumin, one challenging aspect of this amazing compound is that berberine absorption is tricky; in its natural state, it has a low bioavailability rate, unless it has been formulated with an ingredient or technology that enhances its absorption. Fortunately, some manufacturers have addressed that problem and offer solutions, such as adding sustained release or liposomal technologies.
Why Use Berberine?
This versatile herbal compound offers a wide array of health benefits, such as reducing inflammation, activating AMPK, supporting healthy blood sugar levels, protecting blood vessels, acting as an antioxidant and antimicrobial, and supporting ATP/energy production. In some countries, berberine is sold in drugstores as a popular over the counter remedy for intestinal infections.
The collective library of berberine research is extensive, with well over 6000 studies published since 1970. No doubt berberine must offer some significant health benefits to garner that much attention from research scientists.
Berberine Supports Healthy Aging Through AMPK
AMPK is an enzyme present in every cell that triggers chemical reactions and controls cellular metabolism. The role of AMPK is extremely important because it acts as a master switch in the body, coordinating many biochemical pathways and functions. Most of the processes that AMPK controls are crucial to wellness, and these functions directly or indirectly determine how fast or slow we age and how long we live.
AMPK maintains cellular energy by turning various biochemical processes on or off to preserve cellular balance. AMPK promotes a process known as autophagy, which is a way cells recycle their components. Autophagy removes dysfunctional cellular parts from aging cells, to keep them active and functional. Autophagy is one of the major pillars of aging, so it’s important that it’s efficient. One of the ways berberine supports healthy aging is by boosting AMPK activity to support autophagy, keeping cells active and healthy.
Is AMPK the Longevity Enzyme?
Oxidation and inflammation are two big underlying factors that scientists blame for speeding up aging. AMPK manages them both, giving a hand to slower aging. We want to preserve AMPK activity by using berberine and antioxidants as part of a well-rounded healthy aging protocol.
AMPK also helps clear out older cells that are no longer useful to the body. As cells age, they eventually become senescent, meaning they are non-functional cells that linger and trigger inflammation, which spreads to neighboring cells. Senescent cells must be cleared out of the way to avoid triggering systemic inflammation. Studies show that berberine may slow the rate of senescence and prevent premature aging by activating AMPK. By slowing the rate of senescence, more healthy cells can be preserved.
Berberine for a Healthy Brain
Who isn’t worried about cognitive function as we age? Try berberine as a backup. Some studies show that berberine can improve learning and memory function through a range of neuroprotective functions. One animal study showed that berberine improved learning impairment, and an another showed a protective effect after stroke. Several neurologic-focused clinical studies showed that berberine protects the central nervous system in post-stroke patients. It improved neural function and decreased damaging oxidation and neuroinflammation factors. Once again we can tie these brain benefits back to the role of berberine boosting AMPK activity.
Berberine and Systemic Inflammation
Berberine can help reduce inflammation, which is an underlying factor in a host of conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases. The state of inflammation is measurable in humans through a blood test for the inflammatory marker CRP. Functional medicine doctors will include this test as part of an advanced cardiovascular panel to predict your risk of cardiovascular disease.
In a review of multiple clinical trials that measured inflammation via CRP, scientists concluded that berberine was quite effective in lowering it. Some studies also correlated this decline in inflammation with reducing weight and BMI. Overall, research indicates berberine is quite safe to use, as it doesn’t raise liver enzymes.
With over 6000 research studies on berberine, it would be difficult to surmise them all. With such impressive numbers of positive clinical outcomes, we can feel confident that berberine is an important supplement to support healthy aging.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Berberine supports some of the key hallmarks of aging; it supports AMPK activity, protects the brain, and reduces inflammation and oxidation.
Berberine research shows impressive benefits for balancing inflammation, weight maintenance, blood sugar, and providing neuroprotection.
Berberine absorption rate is low, which can be overcome by increasing the dosage, or using a formulation that addresses bioavailability.
A review of multiple studies concluded that berberine is safe and does not affect liver enzymes.
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