Berberine 500mg - 90 + 90 Caps FREE - Dr. Julian Whitaker

BERBERINE

What is Berberine?
It is a plant that contains a pigment. It is a strong anti-oxidant. The plant is known for its antimicrobial properties, so traditionally, it's often been used by people that end up with infectious diarrhoea. This is because it really helps to slow down gastrointestinal transit time, while killing the invading microbes  that would cause gastrointestinal problems.

What are some results?
When people suffer from gastrointestinal problems, especially if they've got a gastrointestinal infection that leads to diarrhoea, they notice that it very quickly helps things to calm down. It's often a product that is used for patients who are traveling abroad, in case they end up with traveler's diarrhoea. It's been very effective for such conditions.

Herbs Containing Berberine
There are quite a few herbs that contain large amounts of berberine. The most commonly known of those are listed below:

Barberry
This herb has been used around the world for centuries to treat infections and diarrhea. Recent research has also found that it benefits the cardiovascular and nervous systems (brain and nerves). For more information, please click here.

Goldenseal
This natural antibiotic is one of the richest known sources of berberine. It has long been established as a mucous membrane tonic and is actually known in the herbal community as the "king of the mucous membranes". For more information on Goldenseal, please click here.

Oregon Grape
The root of this shrub has been used for hundreds of years to help treat diarrhea. It is particularly useful in treating multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. It can also be applied topically in a cream to help treat psoriasis.

Phellodendron amurense
Recent research has shown that P. amurense contains berberine. It is this constituent that researchers believe gives the herb its ability to inhibit lung tumour growth. For more information on P. amurense, please click here.

Antimicrobial Activity
Berberine have been used for their antimicrobial activity for centuries, and much of their traditional use stems from this capability. Recent research has shown berberine to have antimicrobial activity against a large variety of organisms including: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. They also have antimicrobial activity against MRSA and can prevent their ability to stick to the epithelial cells and thus prevent MRSA from invading the body and causing infection. Berberine can also potentiate current antibiotics to allow them to once again be able to kill MRSA by bypassing their resistance ability. In addition to this, berberine are strongly active against Gram positive bacteria like: Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Clostridium. All of these are bacteria that are frequent causes of infection, particularly in hospitals. There is some evidence that berberine can help to eliminate Candida (yeast) infections.

Antioxidant
Berberine are extremely strong antioxidants that can inhibit the generation of reactive oxidative species (ROS). Because of their extremely strong antioxidant abilities, they can help to protect cells against the damage, and protect the blood vessels against cardiovascular disease. It is also this effect that helps berberine to combat Alzheimer's disease. For more information on the benefits of antioxidants, please click here.

Cardiovascular Health
In addition to its immune boosting benefits, berberine's strong antioxidant ability helps it to protect LDL ("bad") cholesterol from being oxidized, which is one of the strongest contributing factors to the formation of atherosclerosis. Recent evidence suggests that berberine has beneficial effects on dyslipidemia (imbalanced blood fats and cholesterol) as well. By promoting a healthier cholesterol and blood fat profile, berberine can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Diabetic
The anti-diabetic affect of berberine has been well established by research. Some interesting new research (2011) has found that this benefit may be due to the berberine helping to regulate the gut microbes and prevent inflammation. Interestingly, this implies that diabetes may be partially caused by an inflammatory state in the body. This is a relatively new way of viewing the origin of type II diabetes and has triggered a new direction for research.

Leaky Gut
Much of the earliest research on berberine surrounded their use for the treatment of diarrhea. This was also one of the original traditional folk uses in history. These compounds have been shown to help reduce immune-mediated damage of the endothelial tight junctions in the gut. This helps to restore the gut barrier function and reduce the symptoms of leaky gut. For more information on leaky gut, please click here.

Protects the Brain and Mental Health
Berberine has been established as beneficial in the treatment of a number of central nervous system disorders. It has the ability to protect neurons, and prevent their death, while improving circulation to the brain. Research has shown a protective effect in Alzheimer's, cerebral ischemia, mental depression, schizophrenia and anxiety.

How can I take berberine?
Berberine can be found in a number of different herbs, and the dosing for each can be found in their individual articles (links above). When dosing berberine directly, the dose is not yet completely established, although current evidence suggests 500mg twice a day.