Berberine to Lower Blood Glucose?

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Shelly & Jersey (GA)

Shelly & Jersey (GA)

Member Since 2014
We just got back from our visit with our new veterinarian, who is totally on board with switching our cat from Humulin to Lantus. Yea!

Our new vet encouraged use to try berberine for a few days before starting Lantus; he said that it may greatly lower Jersey's bg levels. Has anyone had any experience with berberine or come across any research on it lately? I'm unfamiliar with it and will start researching it today.

Thanks!
Shelly
 
What I read in the abstract suggests they do not entirely know how it works. It may disrupt absorption of glucose in the digestive tract, with potential to cause diarrhea.

It will not take the place of ensuring the diet is low carb. We strongly advocate feeding a low carb canned or raw diet, per Dr Pierson of Cat Info. It need not be a prescription food, either. There are many suitable over the counter, low carb, canned foods in the US.

Also, it doesn't let the pancreas rest, which in cats, may let it heal and resume function.

I would suggest making sure the diet is low carb and home testing without berberine first, and seeing what that does, before using it.

Also, you should be testing for urine ketones if you do not start insulin therapy. Ketones form as a by-product of fat breakdown for calories. Too many may indicate diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) a potentially fatal, expensive to treat complication of diabetes. See my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for some tips on that as well as other assessments you may wish to make.

Googled and found a few more evaluations out there:
http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/2013/08/berberine-works-but-may-very-well-be.html
http://examine.com/supplements/Berberine/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berberine
http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/article_content.asp?article=384
 
http://www.fda.gov/aboutfda/centers.../nctr/whatwedo/nctrpublications/ucm363503.htm
NCTR scientists in collaboration with the Shanghai Institute for Food and Drug Control (China) have shown that goldenseal and one of its major alkaloid constituents, berberine, are potent inducers of DNA damage in in vitro human cell cultures In cells treated with goldenseal, the extent of DNA damage was correlated to the berberine content and was directly associated with the inhibition of topoisomerase II (an essential enzyme for DNA replication). Goldenseal is an herbal product used to remedy a wide variety of ailments including gastrointestinal disturbances, urinary tract disorders, and inflammation; and was shown to increase liver tumors in rodents in a National Toxicology Program two-year carcinogenicity study.
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Thanks for your replies, everyone! I did some additional research yesterday, as well as read the information you provided, and I just don't feel comfortable giving berberine to Jersey right now. The lack of research on its efficacy and safety (even in humans) concerns me. I will tell my vet next week that it's not an option we want to consider right now.

BJM ~ Jersey is on low-carb canned food, and she has received insulin (sporadically, unfortunately). I have a spreadsheet set up for her - I don't know why my signature didn't appear. I may have accidentally unchecked the signature box when posting. :?: Sorry - I'm still figuring out some of the technical aspects of the site!

Again, thank you all for the information you provided!
Shelly
 
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