Berberine is a bioactive compound found in various plants, such as Phellodendron amurense (Amur cork tree), Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal), and several shrubs from the Berberis genus (1 Trusted Source).

It has been long used in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat health issues like infections (2 Trusted Source, 3 Trusted Source).

Interestingly, research suggests that berberine has powerful blood-sugar-lowering effects (4 Trusted Source).

This article explores the effects of berberine on blood sugar levels and how it may help manage diabetes.

Elevated blood sugar levels characterize conditions like diabetes and prediabetes due to either decreased insulin production or decreased sensitivity to insulin.

Although it’s normal for your blood sugar levels to fluctuate throughout the day, prolonged high blood sugar levels can cause various health problems, including organ damage (5 Trusted Source).

A decent amount of animal research suggests berberine may help lower blood sugar levels via various pathways, including by the following (6, 7 Trusted Source):

increasing insulin sensitivity

promoting insulin production

regulating metabolism

increasing glycolysis, or the breakdown of glucose

reducing glucose production in the liver

increasing nitric oxide (NO) production, which helps widen arteries

slowing carbohydrate absorption from the gut

Several studies among people with type 2 diabetes have shown that taking 600–2,700 mg of berberine daily may lower fasting and long-term blood sugar levels by up to 20% and 12%, respectively, especially when taken alongside blood sugar medication (8 Trusted Source, 9 Trusted Source).

Similarly, a review of 14 studies found that berberine lowered blood sugar levels and seemed to be as effective as common blood sugar medications, including metformin (Glucophage), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and glipizide (Glucotrol) (3 Trusted Source).

Furthermore, research suggests berberine may help support the blood-sugar-lowering effects of other diabetes medications when taken alongside them (3 Trusted Source, 9 Trusted Source, 10 Trusted Source).

Therefore, berberine appears to be a promising blood-sugar-lowering treatment. This may be especially valuable to those who cannot take diabetes medications due to liver, kidney, or heart disease (11 Trusted Source).

Berberine is an herbal supplement that’s generally safe and well tolerated by people with type 2 diabetes.

Research suggests it has powerful blood-sugar-lowering effects and may be as effective as various conventional type 2 diabetes medications, such as metformin (Glucophage), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and glipizide (Glucotrol).

If you’re currently taking any medications, it’s important to speak with your doctor or healthcare provider before taking berberine due to the risk of interactions and low blood sugar levels.