Supplement
Dihydroberberine is a modified form of berberine, a plant compound that nudges the enzyme AMPK, which helps cells manage energy and blood sugar. In people with type 2 diabetes, trials found fasting blood sugar, HbA1c and insulin resistance all fell, with HbA1c dropping about as much as it did with metformin, and the evidence is moderate. Each finding rests on a few hundred people at most, and the evidence for smaller waists in metabolic syndrome is only limited.
- Updated
- How we grade
- 5 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 3
- Outcomes
- 9
- Graded outcomes
- 0720
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fasting Blood Glucose Large Decrease - FBG reduced from 10.6 to 6.9 mmol/L in trials | Improves (the measure goes down) | Large effect | 400 people | |||
| HbA1c Large Decrease - HbA1c reduced from 9.5% to 7.5% (similar to metformin) | Improves (the measure goes down) | Large effect | 350 people | |||
| Postprandial Blood Glucose Large Decrease - PBG reduced from 19.8 to 11.1 mmol/L | Improves (the measure goes down) | Large effect | 280 people | |||
| Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) 44.7% reduction in HOMA-IR | Improves (the measure goes down) | Large effect | 200 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triglycerides Moderate Decrease - 0.50 mmol/L reduction (meta-analysis) | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 800 people | |||
| LDL Cholesterol Moderate Decrease - 0.65 mmol/L reduction | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 700 people | |||
| Total Cholesterol Moderate Decrease - 0.61 mmol/L reduction | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 700 people | |||
| Waist Circumference 3.27 cm reduction (meta-analysis) | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 400 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Mass Index Small Decrease - 0.44 kg/m² reduction | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 350 people |
Key findings
- Fasting Blood GlucoseImproves (the measure goes down)
- HbA1cImproves (the measure goes down)
- Postprandial Blood GlucoseImproves (the measure goes down)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Dihydroberberine products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade B
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Studies cited
5 studies from PubMed
- Comparative pharmacokinetics and safety assessment of transdermal berberine and dihydroberberine
- Transforming berberine into its intestine-absorbable form by the gut microbiota
- Repeated administration of berberine inhibits cytochromes P450 in humans
- 8,8-Dimethyldihydroberberine with improved bioavailability and oral efficacy on obese and diabetic mouse models
- Berberine and its more biologically available derivative, dihydroberberine, inhibit mitochondrial respiratory complex I: a mechanism for the action of berberine to activate AMP-activated protein kinase and improve insulin action