What Is It Like to Take Berberine — Dubbed ‘Nature’s Ozempic’ — for Weight Loss?
Key takeaways:
Some social media influencers have dubbed the dietary supplement berberine as “nature’s Ozempic” for its supposed weight-loss benefits.
Experts dismiss the comparison to the diabetes medication Ozempic. But berberine is being studied for its effects on blood sugar, cholesterol levels, digestion, and weight.
Three people who take berberine tell GoodRx they think it’s helped them shed pounds in conjunction with healthy lifestyle habits.
Berberine is a natural compound found in plants such as European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, and Oregon grape.
While it’s not FDA approved to treat any medical conditions, people have turned to berberine for centuries for its potential health benefits. It was once an herbal remedy used to treat diarrhea. And, more recently, scientists have studied it as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Berberine has also enjoyed a high profile on social media in recent years. Many health and lifestyle influencers have even dubbed it “nature’s Ozempic,” a natural alternative to the popular prescription-only diabetes medication. Medical professionals have objected to that claim, though, saying berberine doesn’t work the same way as Ozempic, which has been studied on a large scale for its effect on weight and blood sugar. Even still, it’s become a popular dietary supplement.
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Three people who take berberine tell GoodRx that it has been effective for them, but it can cause a few unpleasant side effects at first. These are their experiences.
Can berberine get you over a weight-loss plateau?
Meagan Frasier, a 35-year-old, stay-at-home mom in Matthews, North Carolina, had spent a year working hard to lose 50 lbs. She dramatically changed her diet to limit processed foods and incorporate mostly whole foods. But she reached a point when the scale refused to budge any further. And then, about 6 months ago, she remembered hearing about berberine.
“I had seen that it helps regulate blood sugar, and that’s what prompted me to take it,” Meagan says.
Megan started taking two 500 mg berberine pills in the morning every day and experienced a few digestive side effects. “I was extremely nauseous. I had diarrhea. I was weak. I thought I had the flu,” she says.
Her side effects lessened after about a week, and within the first month, Meagan dropped 11 lbs.
“I’ve taken a lot of supplements, and most of them I don’t see an actual result from,” she says.
With berberine, Meagan saw results. And, she says, the benefits didn’t stop with weight loss.
“I don’t really crave treats as much, and I had huge improvements in my gut health. I had a ton of eczema patches all over me when I started, and I don't suffer from that nearly as much anymore,” she says. Bottom line, “it’s a really good supplement.”
When will you notice a difference on the scale?
A few years ago, Terri Foschini contracted COVID-19 and hepatitis A at the same time. The combination took a huge toll on her liver.
“I had to go to this liver transplant center — which, when you pull up and see that name on the wall, it scares you to death,” says Terri, who is 65 and lives in Powder Springs, Georgia.
After that scare, she decided it was time to take charge of her health. As part of her New Year’s resolution for 2023, Terri started Weight Watchers and committed to walking 10,000 steps a day. Then, in March, after hearing about the supplement berberine and how it could potentially help improve liver health, she decided to start taking 500 mg three times a day, with her meals. It wasn’t until she started noticing a difference on the scale that she learned from a Google search that berberine could also aid in weight loss.
Terri never experienced any gastrointestinal side effects from berberine. But after a few weeks of taking the supplement, she did notice that she had a lot more portion control when eating.
“I didn’t need to eat the full plate of pasta,” she says. “I could stop after five or six bites and be OK with that.”
So far, Terri has lost a total of 40 lbs and credits her lifestyle changes, along with taking berberine, for her transformation. But what she’s gained has been even better than the weight she’s lost, she says.
“I’m not as tired. I’m not as worn out. And I get a lot of compliments,” Terri says, adding that she’s also learned how to accept praise. “I’ve learned to say, ‘Thank you so much for noticing.’”
Can berberine help you maintain weight loss once and for all?
J. Kimberly Molborn has dealt with yo-yoing weight for most of her adult life.
“It was cyclical,” she says. “I’d be fine for a while, and then, in 1 or 2 months, I’d gain 17 pounds.”
Kimberly, who is 42 and lives in Lawrenceville, Georgia, attributes her weight fluctuations to her polycystic ovary syndrome, which can cause insulin resistance. Six years ago, Kimberly’s doctor prescribed her Metformin for blood sugar regulation because of her condition. But she didn’t tolerate the mediation well.
“It was awful,” Kimberly says. “It just makes your stomach feel crazy. It makes you nauseous. It wasn't what I wanted to do.”
She did a little research and asked her doctor about the supplement berberine as an alternative. And her doctor agreed she should try it.
“The symptoms at first were very similar — the looser bowels and just feeling a little nauseous, especially in the very beginning,” Kimberly says.
But then, the side effects went away, and Kimberly started to notice she had more energy. After taking berberine for 6 years — cycling on it for 3 months and then off it for 2, at the advice of her doctor — Kimberly has lost 40 lbs. But the biggest benefit, she says, is the fact that she’s been able to maintain her progress and avoid on-an-off weight gain.
“Losing the weight and keeping it off helps everything else,” she says. “It’s easier to walk. It’s easier to sleep well. It’s easier to have more energy. And it’s been the one thing that’s kept me off of medications that no one wants to be on at the age of 40.”
What does the doctor say?
Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH
Medical Editor
Berberine is a naturally occurring plant chemical. Berberine supplements contain a concentrated form of that chemical.
It’s true that people have been using berberine for its potential health benefits for centuries. But it hasn’t quite earned the title “nature’s Ozempic.” It’s important to point out that berberine and Ozempic do not work in the same way. Their effects on the body are not equal, either. So berberine doesn’t work as a substitute for Ozempic.
Also, the data supporting berberine’s effects on the body isn’t as strong or complete as the data supporting Ozempic’s effectiveness. That means it’s hard to know if everyone who takes berberine will experience weight loss. It’s also impossible to predict how much weight a person can expect to lose. And there are no recommendations about what dose of berberine people should take or when they should adjust that dose.
This makes it impossible for healthcare providers to give people advice on how to use berberine safely and effectively. That said, berberine is generally considered safe. And when added to other weight-loss treatments, it may help you lose weight.
Keep in mind, not everyone should take berberine. You should not take berberine if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, have a weakened immune system or have had an organ transplant, or have kidney or liver problems. Berberine can interfere with certain medications. If you’re taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications, talk with your healthcare provider before taking berberine.
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