Does berberine help with weight loss and blood sugar?
Short answer
Lowers blood sugar in diabetes; weight unclear.
In pooled trials of people with type 2 diabetes, berberine lowered fasting blood sugar and HbA1c, though many trials were weak. For weight, results are mixed; a 337-person trial found no drop in belly fat.
This page says what the research shows. It does not say whether you should take berberine.
Where the evidence stands
Each dot is one on-topic paper. Steps near the top answer the question more directly. Select a dot to see the study.
↑ Stronger evidence
-
Trials in people: weight and blood sugar
Trials that measured body weight and blood sugar directly.
7 -
Trials in people: other measures
Trials that measured other health or performance measures.
7 -
Trials in people: lab tests or safety
Trials that measured lab tests, side effects or safety.
2 -
Population studies
Studies that followed or surveyed groups of people. They show links, not causes.
2 -
Blood levels and genes
Studies that link blood levels or genes to health.
0None among the papers we read.
-
Animals
Studies in mice, rats, worms or flies.
1
↓ Weaker evidence
- Points to benefit
- Mixed
- No difference
- No direction
- Points to harm
Not on the ladder: 7 reviews of many studies (shown below), 1 opinion or narrative paper, 1 trial plan with no results yet. Counts are papers, not people. Some studies appear in more than one paper.
See every studyWhat we found
- Across thirty-seven pooled trials of 3,048 people with type 2 diabetes, berberine lowered fasting blood sugar (average difference -0.82 mmol/L) and HbA1c, a long-term sugar measure (-0.63%). Xie 2022
- In a 6-month trial of 337 adults without diabetes who had obesity and fatty liver, berberine 1 g/d did not reduce deep belly fat or liver fat versus placebo. Lei 2026
- Pooled trials found lower BMI with berberine in people with type 2 diabetes (MD = -1.07) and in people with fatty liver disease (SMD = - 0.58). Guo 2021, Nie 2024
- An overview of fifty-four reviews found berberine improved 92.59% (25/27) of type 2 diabetes outcomes but only 57.14% (4/7) of obesity outcomes; most reviews were very low quality. Shi 2025
What the research says
Blood sugar falls in people with type 2 diabetes
Four pooled reviews of trials in people with type 2 diabetes all found lower fasting blood sugar and HbA1c with berberine than with control groups. The average HbA1c drop was -0.63% in one review and -0.73 in another. Low blood sugar episodes were not clearly more common.
Single trials point the same way. In one, 1.0 g a day for 3 months lowered HbA1c from 7.5 +/- 1.0% to 6.6 +/- 0.7%, more than placebo. In the PREMOTE trial, HbA1c changed by -0.99 with berberine versus -0.59 with placebo.
Studies: Xie 2022, Guo 2021, Liang 2019, Lan 2015, Zhang 2008, Zhang 2020
About the same as diabetes pills
One pooled review found no clear difference between berberine alone and diabetes pills, while adding berberine to diabetes pills beat pills alone. In a small 3-month trial of 36 newly diagnosed adults, berberine worked about as well as metformin; HbA1c fell from 9.5%+/-0.5% to 7.5%+/-0.4%.
Studies: Lan 2015, Liang 2019, Yin 2008
Weight results are mixed
Pooled trials found lower BMI with berberine in type 2 diabetes (MD = -1.07) and fatty liver disease (SMD = - 0.58). But the largest trial in people without diabetes found 1 g a day for 6 months did not reduce deep belly fat or liver fat.
Other weight results are weaker. A 3-month obesity trial had no placebo group. A combination product lowered BMI by -1.24 versus placebo but held two other ingredients. A berberine and cinnamon trial found no difference in body measures versus placebo.
Studies: Guo 2021, Nie 2024, Lei 2026, Bandala 2024, Xenos 2026, Mansour 2025
People without diabetes: blood sugar results vary
In small placebo-controlled trials of people with prediabetes or high fasting blood sugar, berberine lowered blood sugar more than placebo. In 34 adults with prediabetes, fasting blood sugar fell from 6.75 to 5.33 mmol/L over 12 weeks.
In people with fatty liver but no diabetes, two placebo-controlled trials found no difference in blood sugar measures. In women with polycystic ovary syndrome, berberine lowered fasting glucose more than placebo.
Studies: Panigrahi 2023, Rondanelli 2023, Lei 2026, Koperska 2024, An 2014
Dose, time and a company-made berberine salt
One pooled review found the blood sugar effect became unclear when treatment lasted more than 90 days, when doses were above 2 g/d, and in people over 60. These were subgroup checks.
HTD1801, a berberine salt, lowered HbA1c versus placebo by -0.4% at 500 mg and -0.7% at 1000 mg twice daily in 113 adults with type 2 diabetes. Authors of both HTD1801 trials have ties to HighTide companies.
Studies: Liang 2019, Ji 2025, Harrison 2021
What reviews of many studies found
Reviews pool or sum up earlier studies. They are not on the ladder, because they repeat studies already counted there.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Xie 2022
Pooled thirty-seven trials with 3,048 people with type 2 diabetes. Berberine lowered fasting blood sugar (WMD = -0.82 mmol/L), HbA1c (WMD = -0.63%) and 2-hour blood sugar, without a clear rise in low blood sugar episodes.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Guo 2021
Pooled forty-six trials in type 2 diabetes. Berberine, alone or added to usual care, lowered HbA1c (MD = -0.73), fasting blood sugar (MD = -0.86) and BMI (MD = -1.07) compared with control groups.
Systematic review · Shi 2025
Overview of fifty-four systematic reviews across 9 diseases. Berberine improved 92.59% (25/27) of type 2 diabetes outcomes and 57.14% (4/7) of obesity outcomes. Only one review was rated high quality.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Nie 2024
Pooled 10 trials with 811 people with fatty liver disease. Berberine lowered BMI (SMD = - 0.58) and insulin resistance (SMD = - 1.56), plus liver enzymes and blood fats, with mild stomach side effects.
How the research grew
The papers we read span 2008 to 2026. 10 of the 28 on-topic papers came out in 2024 to 2026. The earliest trial in people here is from 2008.
- 2008
- 2014
- 2015
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
Each dot is one on-topic paper, colored by what it found. Rings mark key papers:
- 2008. Early placebo-controlled trial in type 2 diabetes. Zhang 2008
- 2020. Largest trial here, in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Zhang 2020
- 2022. Pooled review with most people: 3,048 with diabetes. Xie 2022
- 2025. Overview of fifty-four reviews flags low quality. Shi 2025
- 2026. Large trial without diabetes: no drop in belly fat. Lei 2026
Doses tested
12 trial papers gave a set daily amount in g a day, from 1 to 2. Each dot shows the dose and what the trial found.
- g a day00.511.522.5
- Points to benefit
- Mixed
- No difference
- No direction
- Points to harm
One row per paper, so a trial reported in two papers appears twice.
Not shown: 4 trial papers with no single daily dose in the abstract, or a different unit.
Who funds this research
3 of 16 trial papers have a company stake: two HTD1801 trials with HighTide ties and a berberine-cinnamon trial with a Pajoohesh Gostran Taghzie asan employee. Five have no disclosure. Independent trials show similar blood sugar results, so confidence did not change.
- Company stake 3
- No disclosure in PubMed 5
- No stake declared 8
- Mansour 2025Company stake
- Ji 2025Company stake
- Harrison 2021Company stake
- Yin 2008No disclosure in PubMed
- Koperska 2024No disclosure in PubMed
- Zhang 2008No disclosure in PubMed
- Rondanelli 2023No disclosure in PubMed
- An 2014No disclosure in PubMed
- Lei 2026No stake declared
- Zhang 2020No stake declared
- Zhao 2021No stake declared
- Rondanelli 2021No stake declared
- Panigrahi 2023No stake declared
- Bandala 2024No stake declared
- Yan 2015No stake declared
- Xenos 2026No stake declared
Funding rule. A stake is always shown. Confidence is lowered only when every supporting study comes from a party with a stake. "No disclosure in PubMed" means the PubMed record has no conflict-of-interest statement. It does not mean there is no conflict.
What to watch
Berberine plus inulin in autoimmune diabetes
A planned trial of 240 adults with slow-onset autoimmune diabetes on insulin will test berberine, inulin, both, or placebo for 3 months. Change in HbA1c is the main outcome. No results yet in this set. Zhang 2022
Larger trials of the berberine salt HTD1801
The authors of the 12-week HTD1801 trial say phase 3 studies are under way to confirm its HbA1c results. Three of its authors hold stock options in a HighTide company. Ji 2025
All 28 on-topic papers
Each paper shows what it tested, what it found, and who has a stake. Every paper also has its own page that explains how much it counts and how it fits. See every study as a list.
-
Randomized trial · measured the question itselfMansour et al., 2025European journal of nutrition · PubMed
The efficacy and safety of berberine in combination with cinnamon supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial.
Adults with type 2 diabetes
TestedBerberine 1200 mg plus cinnamon 600 mg a day for 12 weeks, vs placebo
Fasting blood sugar (P = 0.031) and HbA1c (P = 0.013) were lower with berberine plus cinnamon than with placebo. No difference in other body measures.
Points to benefitCompany stakeAbstract onlyOne author is an employee of Pajoohesh Gostran Taghzie asan Company, which is named in the disclosure.
-
Berberine Ursodeoxycholate for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
113 people · Adults with type 2 diabetes not controlled by diet and exercise, in China
TestedHTD1801 (a berberine and ursodeoxycholic acid salt), 500 mg or 1000 mg twice a day for 12 weeks, vs placebo
HbA1c was lower than placebo by -0.4% (95% CI -0.79% to -0.03%) with 500 mg and -0.7% (95% CI -1.10% to -0.35%) with 1000 mg. Fasting blood sugar fell -13.0 and -18.4 mg/dL.
Points to benefitCompany stakeAbstract onlyThree authors hold stock options in Shenzhen HighTide Biopharmaceutical; one reports fees from many drug firms. HighTide Therapeutics staff authored HTD1801 trial PMID 34535644.
-
Randomized trial · measured the question itselfPanigrahi et al., 2023BMC endocrine disorders · PubMed
Efficacy and safety of HIMABERB® Berberine on glycemic control in patients with prediabetes: double-blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized pilot trial.
34 people · 34 adults with prediabetes
TestedBerberine (HIMABERB) 500 mg three times a day for 12 weeks, vs placebo
In the berberine group, fasting blood sugar fell from 6.75 ± 0.23 mmol/L to 5.33 ± 0.28 mmol/L and HbA1c from 6.40% ± 0.20-5.43% ± 0.21%, with larger drops than placebo.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
Randomized trial · measured the question itselfRondanelli et al., 2023European review for medical and pharmacological sciences · PubMed
Berberine phospholipid exerts a positive effect on the glycemic profile of overweight subjects with impaired fasting blood glucose (IFG): a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.
49 people · 49 overweight adults with high fasting blood sugar
TestedBerberine phospholipid, two 550 mg tablets a day for 2 months, vs placebo
After two months, fasting blood sugar was lower with berberine than placebo (p=0.004). Visceral fat (p<0.0001) and fat mass (p=0.004) were also lower. No side effects were reported.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Gut microbiome-related effects of berberine and probiotics on type 2 diabetes (the PREMOTE study).
409 people · Adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in China
TestedBerberine alone, berberine plus probiotics, probiotics alone, or placebo, for 12 weeks
HbA1c changed by -1.04 with berberine plus probiotics and -0.99 with berberine alone, versus -0.59 with placebo and -0.53 with probiotics alone (percent units, P < 0.001). Berberine caused more stomach side effects.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
Randomized trial · measured the question itselfYin et al., 2008Metabolism: clinical and experimental · PubMed
Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
84 people · 84 adults with type 2 diabetes (36 newly diagnosed, 48 poorly controlled)
TestedStudy A: berberine vs metformin, 0.5 g 3 times a day for 3 months. Study B: berberine added to usual care for 3 months, no control group.
In study A, HbA1c fell from 9.5%+/-0.5% to 7.5%+/-0.4% and fasting blood sugar from 10.6+/-0.9 mmol/L to 6.9+/-0.5 mmol/L; effect was similar to metformin. In study B, HbA1c fell from 8.1%+/-0.2% to 7.3%+/-0.3%.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Randomized trial · measured the question itselfZhang et al., 2008The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · PubMed
Treatment of type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia with the natural plant alkaloid berberine.
116 people · Adults with type 2 diabetes and high blood fats
TestedBerberine 1.0 g a day for 3 months, vs placebo
With berberine, fasting blood sugar fell from 7.0 +/- 0.8 to 5.6 +/- 0.9 and HbA1c from 7.5 +/- 1.0% to 6.6 +/- 0.7%, both differing from placebo (P < 0.0001). Five people had mild to moderate constipation.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Effects of Berberine, White Mulberry Leaf Extract and Chromium Picolinate on Body Composition and Insulin Resistance in Adults with Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
93 people · Greek adults with obesity and no chronic disease
TestedBerberine 1000 mg plus white mulberry leaf extract and chromium picolinate each day for 12 weeks, vs placebo
Compared with placebo, body mass index fell more (-1.24 kg per square meter; 95% CI -2.15 to -0.33) and body fat mass fell more (-2.35 kg; 95% CI -4.12 to -0.58). Insulin sensitivity improved 28% more (ratio 1.28).
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo conflicts declared; internal grant from the Hellenic Institute of Nutrition.
-
Randomized trial · other health measuresKoperska et al., 2024Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society · PubMed
Does berberine impact anthropometric, hepatic, and metabolic parameters in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease? Randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
70 people · Adults with fatty liver disease
TestedBerberine 1500 mg a day for 12 weeks, vs placebo
Berberine lowered liver enzyme ALT (p=0.0105) and total cholesterol (p=0.0009) more than placebo. Trunk fat fell in both groups. No differences between groups in other lipid and glucose measures.
No differenceNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Comparative Effects of Gymnema sylvestre and Berberine on Adipokines, Body Composition, and Metabolic Parameters in Obese Patients: A Randomized Study.
50 people · 50 Mexican adults with obesity
TestedBerberine or the herb Gymnema sylvestre for 3 months, compared with each other; no placebo
Over 3 months, berberine lowered body weight and blood pressure (p < 0.05); Gymnema, not berberine, lowered fasting glucose. In the end-of-study comparison between groups, the abstract reports differences only in two fat-tissue gene markers.
MixedNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
Berberine Phospholipid Is an Effective Insulin Sensitizer and Improves Metabolic and Hormonal Disorders in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A One-Group Pretest-Post-Test Explanatory Study.
12 people · 12 young women with polycystic ovary syndrome, normal weight to overweight
TestedBerberine phospholipid, two 550 mg tablets a day for 60 days, no comparison group
After 60 days, insulin resistance (HOMA), body mass index and fat mass fell. Fasting blood sugar is not reported in the abstract.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
A phase 2, proof of concept, randomised controlled trial of berberine ursodeoxycholate in patients with presumed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and type 2 diabetes.
100 people · Adults with fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes
TestedHTD1801 (a berberine and ursodeoxycholic acid salt), up to 1000 mg twice a day for 18 weeks, vs placebo
Liver fat fell more with 1000 mg twice a day than placebo (-4.8% vs. -2.0%, p = 0.011). This group also had better blood sugar control and weight loss than placebo; abstract gives no numbers for these.
Points to benefitCompany stakeAbstract onlyOne author is a HighTide Therapeutics employee; three others are its contractor or consultants. Several report grants from HighTide and other drug firms.
-
Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
184 people · Adults with fatty liver disease
TestedLifestyle change alone, or with pioglitazone 15 mg a day, or with berberine 0.5 g three times a day, for 16 weeks
Berberine plus lifestyle change cut liver fat more than lifestyle change alone (52.7% vs 36.4%, p = 0.008), with better improvement in body weight and insulin resistance (all p<0.05). Berberine reduced weight more than pioglitazone.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
The use of berberine for women with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing IVF treatment.
150 people · 150 women with polycystic ovary syndrome who could not get pregnant and were preparing for IVF
TestedBerberine, metformin or placebo tablets for 3 months before IVF
Fasting glucose, fasting insulin and insulin resistance fell more with berberine or metformin than with placebo. Berberine was linked to larger drops in BMI than metformin. No numbers are given in the abstract.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Berberine and Adiposity in Diabetes-Free Individuals With Obesity and MASLD: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
337 people · Adults without diabetes who have obesity and fatty liver disease
TestedBerberine 1 g a day for 6 months, vs matching placebo
No difference in belly fat area (1.4%, 97.5% CI -2.4% to 5.2%) or liver fat (0.9%, 97.5% CI -0.4% to 2.1%). Cholesterol and inflammation fell more with berberine, but other secondary outcomes did not differ.
No differenceNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo conflicts reported; no company funding listed.
-
Berberine is an insulin secretagogue targeting the KCNH6 potassium channel.
15 people · Mice with high blood sugar, plus 15 healthy men in a single-dose trial
TestedOne dose of berberine vs placebo, with a 160-minute high blood sugar clamp test
In mice, berberine raised insulin release and lowered blood sugar. In 15 healthy men, berberine raised insulin release when blood sugar was high but not at baseline.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
Effects of Berberine Plus Inulin on Diabetes Care in Patients With Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Planned: 240 adults with slow-onset autoimmune diabetes already on insulin
TestedPlanned: berberine, berberine plus inulin fiber, inulin, or placebo for 3 months
Trial plan only. No results. The main planned measure is change in HbA1c.
No directionNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
Adjunctive berberine improves hormonal, metabolic, and inflammatory profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a retrospective case-control study.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome, from clinic records
TestedBerberine plus progesterone vs progesterone alone for 3 months, looked at after the fact
Weight, BMI and waist-to-hip ratio fell only in the berberine group. Between-group differences in weight and BMI were not significant before adjustment but were after. Fasting blood sugar and insulin resistance fell only with berberine.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
Effect of berberine and bicyclol on Chinese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a retrospective study.
385 people · Chinese adults with fatty liver disease
TestedBerberine 500 mg three times a day, or bicyclol, or diet and Tai Chi alone, each for 4 months, looked at after the fact
Berberine and bicyclol groups improved weight, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio and blood sugar after 4 months (p < 0.05 for all). The diet-only group also had lower BMI and waist-to-hip ratio (p < 0.05).
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
[Investigation of the effects and mechanisms of berberine on a mouse model of polycystic ovary syndrome: based on intestinal flora analysis].
Mice with a polycystic ovary syndrome model
TestedBerberine treatment vs untreated model mice and normal mice
Berberine lowered fat cell size (2 858±146 vs 9 518±347 μm², P<0.001) and blood glucose (P<0.05) in the model mice.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Berberine and health outcomes: an overview of systematic reviews.
54 studies · People with many conditions, from 54 earlier systematic reviews
TestedBerberine compared with controls across diseases
Berberine improved 92.59% (25/27) of type 2 diabetes outcomes and 57.14% (4/7) of obesity outcomes. Only one of fifty-four reviews was rated high quality; forty-five were rated very low quality.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
The clinical efficacy and safety of berberine in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a meta-analysis and systematic review.
10 studies, 811 people · People with fatty liver disease
TestedBerberine compared with control treatments
In 10 trials with 811 patients, berberine lowered BMI (SMD = - 0.58, 95% CI [- 0.77, - 0.38]) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR SMD = - 1.56), plus liver enzymes and blood fats. Side effects were mild stomach problems.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
Berberine and health outcomes: An umbrella review.
11 studies · People in trials of berberine, pooled from 11 earlier meta-analyses
TestedBerberine compared with control treatments, as summarized from earlier pooled analyses
Berberine lowered blood sugar, insulin resistance, blood fats and body measures compared with controls. Common side effects were constipation and diarrhea. The authors say the pooled studies were of uneven quality and need confirming in high-quality trials.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed; funded by Chinese public research bodies.
-
Glucose-lowering effect of berberine on type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
37 studies, 3,048 people · People with type 2 diabetes
TestedBerberine, alone or with diabetes drugs, compared with control groups
Berberine lowered fasting blood sugar (WMD = -0.82 mmol/L), HbA1c (WMD = -0.63%) and 2-hour blood sugar (WMD = -1.16 mmol/L). Low blood sugar risk was not clearly higher (RR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.21, 1.08).
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
The Effect of Berberine on Metabolic Profiles in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
46 studies · People with type 2 diabetes
TestedBerberine, alone or with usual diabetes care, compared with control groups
Berberine lowered HbA1c (MD = -0.73), fasting blood sugar (MD = -0.86) and BMI (MD = -1.07, 95% CI -1.76, -0.37) compared with controls.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
-
Effects of berberine on blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis.
28 studies, 2,313 people · People with type 2 diabetes
TestedBerberine compared with control groups
Berberine lowered fasting blood sugar (WMD = -0.54 mmol/L), after-meal blood sugar (WMD = -0.94 mmol/L) and HbA1c (WMD = -0.54 mmol/L). The effect faded with treatment over 90 days, doses over 2 g/d, and age over 60.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Meta-analysis of the effect and safety of berberine in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipemia and hypertension.
27 studies, 2,569 people · People with type 2 diabetes, high blood fats or high blood pressure
TestedBerberine with or without lifestyle change or drugs, compared with placebo, lifestyle change or drugs alone
Berberine with lifestyle change tended to lower fasting blood sugar, after-meal blood sugar and HbA1c more than lifestyle change alone or placebo. Berberine alone was not clearly different from diabetes drugs. No serious side effects reported.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Opinion or narrative reviewIlyas et al., 2020Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie · PubMed
The effect of Berberine on weight loss in order to prevent obesity: A systematic review.
Mix of lab cells, animals and some people, studied for obesity effects
TestedBerberine at many doses; in people 300 mg, 500 mg and 1.0 g a day
Review mostly of animal and cell work. In people, berberine at 500 mg/day changed gut microbes, 300 mg daily affected cholesterol genes, and 1.0 g daily improved glucose handling. Body weight in people is not reported in the abstract.
No weight on the ladderNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo competing interests declared.
14 papers we read and set aside as off topic
- Zhao et al., 2021. Comparative efficacy of oral insulin sensitizers metformin, thiazolidinediones, inositol, and berberine in improving endocrine and metabolic profiles in women with PCOS: a network meta-analysis. (pooled review (meta-analysis))
- Hu et al., 2022. Protective effect of berberine in diabetic nephropathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis revealing the mechanism of action. (pooled review (meta-analysis))
- Wang et al., 2022. Combined berberine and probiotic treatment as an effective regimen for improving postprandial hyperlipidemia in type 2 diabetes patients: a double blinded placebo controlled randomized study. (randomized trial)
- Derosa et al., 2013. Effects of berberine on lipid profile in subjects with low cardiovascular risk. (randomized trial)
- Nguyen et al., 2021. Assessing Transporter-Mediated Natural Product-Drug Interactions Via In vitro-In Vivo Extrapolation: Clinical Evaluation With a Probe Cocktail. (trial, not randomized)
- Rabbani, 1996. Mechanism and treatment of diarrhoea due to Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli: roles of drugs and prostaglandins. (other)
- Wang et al., 2016. [Therapeutic Effects of Berberine Capsule on Patients with Mild Hyperlipidemia]. (randomized trial)
- Li et al., 2010. Berberine inhibits acute radiation intestinal syndrome in human with abdomen radiotherapy. (randomized trial)
- Chen et al., 2025. Coptidis rhizoma and berberine as anti-cancer drugs: A 10-year updates and future perspectives. (opinion or narrative review)
- Xu et al., 2024. Revealing the improvement of diabetes by Si Wei Jiang Huang Tang San through ERK/HIF1α signaling pathway via network pharmacology. (animal study)
- Wu et al., 2019. Berberine (BBR) Attenuated Palmitic Acid (PA)-Induced Lipotoxicity in Human HK-2 Cells by Promoting Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α (PPAR-α). (cell study)
- Zeng et al., 2020. Effect of low dose of berberine on the radioresistance of cervical cancer cells via a PI3K/HIF-1 pathway under nutrient-deprived conditions. (cell study)
- Handu et al., 2025. Evaluating Bioactive-Substance-Based Interventions for Adults with MASLD: Results from a Systematic Scoping Review. (systematic review)
- Yao et al., 2017. Adipose Tissue-Specialized Immunologic Features Might Be the Potential Therapeutic Target of Prospective Medicines for Obesity. (opinion or narrative review)
Words on this page
- SMD (standardized mean difference)
- A way to compare results measured on different scales. About 0.2 is a small effect, 0.5 medium, and 0.8 large.
- Relative risk (RR)
- Compares the risk in two groups. 1 means no difference. 0.85 means 15% lower risk.
- 95% CI (confidence interval)
- The range where the true result likely lies. If the range includes no effect (1 for ratios, 0 for differences), the result is not clear.
- p-value (p =)
- How likely a result this large would be by chance if there were no real effect. Below 0.05 is usually called a clear result.
- Placebo
- A dummy pill or fake treatment, so people do not know which group they are in.
- Pooled review (meta-analysis)
- A study that combines the results of many earlier studies to get one overall answer.
- Marker
- A lab or scan result that stands in for a health outcome. A better marker does not always mean better health.
How the short answer is set
Fixed rules turn the studies into the short answer, so the same studies always give the same answer. The rules start from GRADE, a standard system for rating evidence, in plain language.
| Confidence | What it means |
|---|---|
| High | We are confident the answer is right. |
| Moderate | The answer is probably right, but it could change. |
| Low (this page) | The answer may well change. |
| Very low | Any answer is very uncertain. |
| Not tested in people | Only cell or animal studies exist. |
Why low here
- Many trials measured fasting blood sugar and HbA1c directly in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Reviews rate most pooled studies and reviews as limited or very low quality.
- Weight results disagree: a 337-person trial found no drop in deep belly fat.
- Most trials lasted about 3 months; one review found effects faded after 90 days.
How this page was made
Label
- Search
- PubMed, Nov 14, 2026. Searches written by Claude Opus 5.5; papers ranked by PubMed
- First read of all 42 papers
- Claude Sonnet
- Independent second read
- Claude Haiku
- Disagreements settled by
- Claude Opus 5.5
- Page text written by
- Claude Opus 5.5
- Charts
- Drawn by code from the study records
- Source check by a person
- Not yet. Required before search engines may list this page.
- Expert review
- No
- Papers read in full
- 0 of 42; all from PubMed abstracts
- Method
- v0.2, created Nov 14, 2026
Search. We ran four PubMed searches for berberine and body weight and blood sugar: pooled and systematic reviews since 2012 (10 of 45), trials in people (22 of 64), population studies (10 of 14). The first number is how many papers we read; the second is how many PubMed found. We took the ones PubMed ranks as most relevant. See the full PubMed search. Of the 42 papers read, 28 were on topic.
Limits. Digestery reads at most about 60 papers per question, so large fields are sampled, not covered in full. Abstracts can leave out key details, such as side effects and funding.
Review queue
These items wait for a person. Search engines are asked not to list the page until the first one is done.
- OpenThe short answer is new. It waits for a source check by a person.
- OpenZhang 2020 and Wang 2022 report the same PREMOTE trial; do not count it twice.
- OpenJi 2025 and Harrison 2021 test HTD1801, a berberine salt, not plain berberine; both have HighTide ties.
- OpenCheck what Pajoohesh Gostran Taghzie asan sells; the company stake for Mansour 2025 depends on it.
- OpenPanigrahi 2023 tests branded HIMABERB and declares no ties; check who made or paid for the product.
- OpenXenos 2026 was funded by a Hellenic Institute of Nutrition grant; check whether the institute sells the combination product.
- OpenLiang 2019 gives the HbA1c change in mmol/L, likely a unit error; check the full paper.
- OpenRondanelli 2023 blood sugar effect size is garbled in the abstract (-0.2495% C.I.); check before quoting.
- OpenPooled reviews Xie 2022, Guo 2021, Liang 2019, Lan 2015, Shi 2025 and Li 2023 likely share many trials; they are not independent evidence.
- OpenZhao 2021 is set to rct, but its human part is a one-dose insulin test in 15 healthy men.
- OpenIlyas 2020 is titled a systematic review, but the abstract reads as a narrative overview; set to narrative_review.
- OpenTrial papers Yin 2008, Zhang 2008, Koperska 2024, Rondanelli 2023 and An 2014 have no disclosure statement in PubMed.
- OpenYan 2015: the 52.7% vs 36.4% liver fat wording is unclear; check the full paper.
Page history
| Date | Change | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | Page created from 42 papers. | First version of the page. |
Flag an error
A flag must point to a source: the passage in the paper, or a link to a study this page missed. A flag starts a new check. Votes never change a page.