What is it with folks who are super enthusiastic about berberine? Who says berberine has zero or close to zero risk, especially at doses suggested for efficacy? Are there long term RCTs, adequately powered and not funded by supplement money, that show both efficacy and safety comparable to pharmaceuticals for the same indications? Pharma studies are far from perfect, and often gamed, but at least they have to pass some regulatory hurdles, additionally, medically approved drugs are often then trialled by independent researchers over many years, and accumulate huge numbers of users in clinical settings. There is nothing even close to that kind of research and scrutiny of berberine.
I know it’s a very hyped supplement these days, especially by various influencers, but to me it’s really without sufficient independent and adequate validation.
I am not here to try to discourage anyone from taking berberine - you do you, and I am not trying to rain on anyone’s parade. If you like berberine, or feel some benefits, fantastic, more power to you. The only context in which I express any views is if someone makes a claim about those purported benefits with zero scientific evidence provided - one is subective opinion and feeling which everyone is entitled to, and the other is a matter of facts asserted, which must be backed by scientific evidence. Again, I’m not trying to dispute anyone’s subjective or anecdotal experience with berberine, and not saying berberine is bad or whatnot. I’m just saying that for me, if you’re making assertions of fact, you need to supply good evidence.
Personally, I’m staying far away from berberine, as to me it has the same smell as the resverastrol hype… tons of pushing and little evidence. But, hey, to each their own. YMMV.
