Berberine is a plant-based compound present in many plant species across the globe. You can find berberine in barberry plants, tree turmeric, Oregon grape, and Phellodendron, to name just a few.
There are many suspected and confirmed benefits of consuming berberine regularly as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
From reducing cholesterol levels (especially bad cholesterol) to minimizing the risk of serious heart conditions, there are plenty of excellent reasons to start boosting your berberine today! If your weight or blood pressure are causing problems
However, with such a wide range of berberine supplements available on the market, it can be difficult to discern which will be effective and which to avoid.
Thankfully, we’re here to help you with that part of the process. Based on our research, we’ve chosen 5 amazing berberine supplements to review in today’s article. With such a strong selection to choose from, you’ll find the perfect supplement for your needs in no time!
The 5 Best Berberine Supplements
Best Overall – Sunergetic Premium Berberine Supplement
The first (and, in our opinion, the best) berberine supplement we have to show you today is the Sunergetic Premium Berberine Supplement.
Each capsule of Sunergetic Premium Berberine contains 600 mg of berberine supplement, which is a higher dosage per capsule than the majority of supplements on the market. This is ideal for buyers who, for whatever reason, require elevated berberine levels.
Despite containing impressive quantities of berberine, the Sunergetic Premium Berberine capsules are small in size, making them easy to swallow.
These capsules are free from many common allergens, including soy, corn, shellfish, yeast, salt, dairy, and artificial preservatives. Plus, the capsule formula is plant-based, meaning that vegetarians and vegans can benefit from its contents.
However, there are only 30 servings per container. This means that if you take 2 of the capsules per day, as directed, you’ll need a new refill every month to keep up your daily dosage.
Pros
- 600 mg capsules – High berberine levels
- Plant-based formula – Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
- Small capsule size – Easy to swallow
- Allergen-free – No soy, yeast, corn, shellfish, dairy, salt, or preservatives
Cons
- 30 servings per container – Refills required monthly
Runner-Up – Doctor Recommended Supplements Berberine Plus
Our runner-up in the berberine supplement category is Berberine Plus by Doctor Recommended Supplements.
Because these capsules contain 600 mg of berberine, they’re higher in terms of dosage than most of the options on the market.
The recommended dosage is 2 capsules per day, amounting to 1,200 mg of berberine per serving.
Plus, there are no filler ingredients to worry about, so you can trust that you’re consuming pure, high-quality berberine and the vegetable cellulose used to make the capsule. Because vegetable cellulose is a plant-based ingredient, these capsules are vegetarian and vegan-friendly.
Each container of these berberine supplements contains 60 servings (120 capsules), which means that a single purchase will get you 2 months’ worth of berberine.
Unfortunately, some customers have reported that capsules have arrived damaged, with some of the contents spilling into the bottle, causing a bitter taste.
Pros
- 600 mg capsules – Effective berberine boost
- No filler ingredients – Pure, clean formula
- Vegetable cellulose capsule – Vegetarian and vegan
- 60 servings per container – 2-month supply
Cons
- Some reports of capsule damage – Potential for wasted contents
Best Budget – NutriFlair Premium Berberine Supplement
NutriFlair’s Premium Berberine Supplement is the best on the market if you’re looking for high-quality and low pricing. After all, proper nutrition (including supplementation) should be available to all, regardless of budget.
Each NutriFlair capsule contains 600 mg of berberine, and the recommended serving size is 2 capsules, meaning it’s designed to be taken in dosages of 1,200 mg.
In addition to the berberine, these capsules contain Ceylon cinnamon, which is an antioxidant with various health-enhancing properties. Ceylon cinnamon, studies have suggested, may help to boost immunity, improve gastrointestinal health, and reduce insulin resistance, although more concrete evidence is needed to confirm these claims scientifically.
Some buyers don’t enjoy the cinnamon flavor, though, so we wouldn’t recommend these capsules to anyone with an aversion to this spice.
Vegetarians and vegans can happily consume these supplements without any concerns because the vegetable cellulose used to make the capsules is fully plant-based.
Every container of NutriFlair Premium Berberine Supplement contains 120 capsules, which amounts to 2 full months of supplementation based on the recommended dosage.
Pros
- 600 mg berberine per capsule – High dosage
- 100 mg Ceylon cinnamon – May help with immunity and insulin resistance
- Vegetable cellulose capsule – Vegan and vegetarian
- 120 capsules per container – Enough for 2 months
Cons
- Strong cinnamon flavor – Not to everyone’s taste
Best Premium – Thorne Research Berberine Capsules
On the other end of the price spectrum, we have Thorne Research’s Berberine Capsules, which make up for their higher price point with a premium-quality formula and incredible results.
Thorne Research’s Berberine Capsules contain 500 mg of berberine, which is the standard dosage, making these capsules workable for most buyers.
There is very little potential for an allergic reaction when taking these capsules because they are free from many common allergens, including dairy, nuts, gluten, shellfish, yeast, eggs, and soy. No additives are present in the formula, so it’s as pure as possible.
The capsules themselves are made from hypromellose, which is a plant-based material derived from wood pulp. Therefore, Thorne Research’s berberine supplements are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Because 2 capsules are supposed to be taken at once (resulting in a serving dosage of 1000 mg), the 60 capsules per container only amount to a month’s worth of supplementation.
Pros
- 500 mg per capsule – Standard recommended dosage
- Hypromellose capsule – Vegan-friendly
- No additives – Pure formula
- Low in allergens – No peanuts, tree nuts, gluten, eggs, shellfish, soy, yeast, or dairy
Cons
- 30 servings per container – Replenish monthly
Highly Commended – Nutrivein Premium Berberine
Last but not least, Nutrivein’s Premium Berberine is an excellent choice for anyone hoping (with a physician’s approval) to regulate their blood sugar, blood pressure, weight, or heart health.
At a dosage of 600 mg per capsule, and 1,200 mg per serving, this supplement will provide you with all the berberine you need to improve your health today.
In addition to the berberine, Nutrivein’s berberine supplements feature Ceylon cinnamon, which may (more research is required) improve immune function and insulin resistance.
The capsules are flavorless, so you won’t have to deal with any strong or unpleasant tastes when taking your supplement. However, the capsules are quite large and may be difficult for some to swallow.
Nutrivein’s Premium Berberine comes in large containers of 120 capsules, which will provide you with a berberine supply lasting 2 months.
Pros
- 600 mg per capsule – Powerful dosage
- Contains Ceylon cinnamon – May improve immune function
- Flavorless – No unpleasant aftertaste
- 60 servings per container – 2-month supply
Cons
- Large capsule size – May be difficult to swallow
Buyer’s Guide
All of the berberine supplements we’ve reviewed here are top-quality, and any of them would make a great addition to your daily nutrition. However, choosing the best berberine supplement for yourself involves considering your specific needs.
Read on to find out which factors to pay close attention to when selecting your ideal berberine supplement.
Dosage
The recommended dose of berberine varies depending on why you’re taking it. The dose of berberine included in each serving of a berberine supplement also varies by brand.
For these reasons, it’s important to know how much berberine you need to take every day before you go ahead and purchase a berberine supplement.
In most cases, doctors will recommend that patients take berberine in 500 mg doses, between 2 and 3 times per day. That’s a total of 1,500 mg of berberine per day. However, this can vary, with some healthcare practitioners recommending daily dosages of anywhere between 900 and 2,000 mg of berberine depending on the health concern at hand.
So, the first step to choosing your berberine supplement is talking to your doctor and basing your choice of supplement on their dosage advice.
Other Ingredients
Berberine supplements don’t often contain 100% pure berberine without any other ingredients. This is something that buyers often fail to take into account, and neglecting to read the nutrition label on a berberine supplement can be a major mistake.
First and foremost, it’s important to be aware of any allergies you may have before you choose a supplement.
Most supplement manufacturers do their best to exclude common allergens from their formulas. This usually includes nuts, eggs, shellfish, gluten, dairy, soy, and yeast.
If you’re allergic to any of these, you must check the label on the supplement container to ensure that the risky ingredient is not present in the product.
If your allergy is severe, please check the manufacturer’s website or contact the company directly to verify their policy on handling such ingredients during the manufacturing process.
This will help you to confirm whether there is a risk of contamination from the factory setting, which could trigger an allergic reaction in the case of a more severe allergy.
Once you’ve got any potential allergens out of the way, it’s time to consider whether you want a pure berberine supplement or if you’d prefer a supplement containing additional ingredients.
For instance, it’s not uncommon for berberine supplements to also contain Ceylon cinnamon because both substances have been linked to improving insulin resistance.
However, the evidence for Ceylon cinnamon’s usefulness in this capacity is not as strong as the evidence for berberine. Therefore, more studies will need to be conducted before such a claim can be made with certainty.
Finally, it’s worth considering the makeup of the outer capsule itself, especially if you have dietary requirements that exclude animal products. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, for example, you’ll need to make sure that the capsule is not made from gelatin, but instead, from a plant-based substance such as vegetable cellulose or hypromellose.
Container/Packaging
Before you go, don’t forget to give some thought to the size of the container your new supplements will come in, and how many capsules are included per container.
Be aware that the contents of the container may be expressed in terms of servings, which is usually different from the actual number of capsules in the bottle. For example, if 2 capsules are supposed to be taken each day, then a single serving will refer to 2 capsules. Therefore, if the bottle reads ‘30 servings’, that means 60 capsules, not 30.
It is also worth checking the customer testimonials for a berberine supplement before you buy it. Often, issues with packaging can cause capsules to become damaged in transit. This can lead to waste and also cause an unpleasant taste because of the loose powder adhering to the undamaged capsules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Should I Take Berberine Supplements?
We briefly touched on a couple of the key reasons for taking berberine supplements in the introduction to this article, and we’ve covered a few more throughout the product reviews.
However, for the sake of clarity, there are 5 key areas in which berberine supplements may improve your health. These are cholesterol, cardiovascular health, weight management, blood sugar, and blood pressure.
Berberine, studies have shown, helps to lower overall cholesterol levels, and it has an especially positive effect on the levels of bad cholesterol in your body.
High levels of bad cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease, which means that taking berberine supplements is also an effective preventative measure against cardiovascular conditions.
In addition to its cholesterol-lowering properties, research has demonstrated that berberine has the ability to regulate irregular heartbeats and decrease fatigue, both of which are symptoms of heart disease.
Of course, if you have low blood sugar (which, in most cases, is a symptom of diabetes), you should treat the condition as recommended by your physician. This is likely to involve insulin. However, scientific research has led to the conclusion that berberine can help to lower blood sugar and might even help insulin to work more effectively.
If you think berberine might help to treat your blood sugar imbalance, speak to your doctor and consider your options together.
Another circulatory issue that berberine can help to manage is high blood pressure. This ties back into berberine’s heart-healthy effects since lower blood pressure is linked to a decreased risk of heart disease. However, healthy blood pressure has additional benefits such as minimizing your risk of having a stroke.
Again, if you feel that berberine could contribute to the efficacy of your blood pressure treatment, you should discuss this with a medical professional and go from there.
Finally, it has been suggested that berberine may help with weight loss endeavors. If your BMI is over 30, studies have suggested that taking berberine in addition to eating healthily and exercising might expedite your progress, potentially due to its effect on hormones linked to fat cells.
All of the above benefits of berberine have made the supplement a go-to for many individuals diagnosed with PCOS.
Because PCOS can lead to a variety of health issues, including raised cholesterol, high blood sugar, and weight gain, berberine may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of this condition.
Who Should Avoid Taking Berberine Supplements?
Although there are many potential health benefits to taking berberine supplements, there are some circumstances in which doing so could potentially be harmful.
If you know your digestive system to be sensitive (meaning that you’re prone to gastrointestinal issues), this may be a reason to limit your berberine intake. That’s because berberine has been linked to digestive problems in the few weeks after beginning consumption.
Of course, if the health condition(s) for which you’re considering taking berberine outweigh a few weeks of gastrointestinal discomfort, that’s one thing. However, if you’re already plagued by stomach problems, it just might not be worth it for you.
Additionally, if your blood pressure and blood sugar or blood pressure are already low, taking a supplement that further lowers either of these factors could be dangerous.
Before you start taking berberine for any reason, we recommend going for a routine medical checkup to make sure it’s safe to do so.
Are There Any Side Effects To Taking Berberine Supplements?
Other than the initial potential for digestive issues, there aren’t many side effects associated with the consumption of berberine.
With that being said, some patients have presented with a headache or a rash after ingesting berberine supplements, potentially due to an allergy or intolerance. This is rare, however.
It’s also worth noting that while taking berberine in the prescribed dosages and for the recommended period of time shouldn’t cause any side effects, taking too much berberine or taking it for too long could have negative results. Gastrointestinal problems are the most common side effect of consuming too much berberine.
However, in more severe cases, damage to the liver has been observed.
Final Thoughts
Thank you for reading! Hopefully, this article has pointed you in the direction of your ideal berberine supplement.
Remember to consult your doctor before taking any new supplements, including berberine. It’s wise to get your blood pressure and blood sugar, in particular, checked beforehand. This step is especially important if you have any pre-existing health conditions.