The 10 Best Berberine Supplements of 2024

Berberine is a herbal extract that has been used for thousands of years throughout Asia and India. In recent years it has gained popularity in the western world as a treatment for diabetes and digestive disorders. In this article, I’ll provide you with a review of the 10 best berberine supplements on the market, while also answering the most common questions about this amazing supplement.

The 10 Best Berberine Supplements:

1. Berberine Plus

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Berberine Plus from Best Naturals combines high-quality berberine with zinc and vitamin c. Every capsule contains 1000 mg of berberine, fortified with 30 mg of zinc and 120 mg of vitamin c. There are 120 capsules per bottle.

Every batch of Berberine Plus is 3rd party tested and guaranteed to be free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, sugar, starch, corn, lactose, sodium, or gluten. Best Naturals manufacture from a top-quality factory that adheres to good manufacturing practices (GMP). 

Best Naturals donate a portion of every purchase to Vitamin Angels, which supply vitamins to children in need around the world. 

2. NutriFlair Premium Berberine

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NutriFlair Premium Berberine contains 1200 mg per serving. In addition, you get 100 mg of Natural, Pure, True Ceylon Cinnamon. The combination of berberine and cinnamon has been shown to boost insulin functioning and promote more efficient blood glucose control and metabolism regulation. The 1300 mg total daily dose is the highest of any supplement on this review page.

This berberine-cinnamon combo supplement is vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. There are no fillers, preservatives, binders, or chemicals in this capsule. It is made in the USA and 3rd party tested for potency, purity, and quality. Your purchase of NutriFlair Premium Berberine comes with a no-questions-asked 30-day guarantee. 

There are 120 capsules in each tinted glass bottle to provide 60 two-a-day doses. 

3. Thorne Research Berberine

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Thorne Research Berberine supplement contains HCL berberine, calcium laureate, and 85% HCL berberine concentrate. It is completely free of gluten, soy, yeast, magnesium stearate or sugar. 

Thorne is an established and well-trusted supplement manufacturer who has been in the marketplace for more than 30 years. Their products are used and recommended by United States Olympic athletes and national sports teams. They manufacture their own products in a high-functioning manufacturing plant based in Charleston, South Carolina.  

Each batch of berberine produced by Thorne Research undergoes four levels of quality control testing, which is more than you will find with most competitors. The company has invested in two state-of-the-art testing facilities. The four tests conducted are raw material testing, in-process batch testing, finished product testing, and expiration date stability testing.

4. Luma Nutrition Berberine

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Luma Nutrition Berberine provides you with 1200 mg of berberine HCL per serving. That is considerably more than you will find in most competing berberine supplements. It is manufactured in the United States under GMP conditions with every container being 3rd party quality tested. The berberine used in this product is sourced from berberine aristata bark at Luma’s California manufacturing facility. 

There are 60 capsules of berberine HCL in each bottle of Kuma Nutrition Berberine. The dosage of 1200 mg is 300mg short of the recommended daily dosage of 500 mg taken 3 times per week. Taking it as one dose rather than three will also do a less efficient job of controlling your blood glucose levels due to the short half-life of berberine. 

5. LiftMode Berberine HCL Powder

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LiftMode Berberine HCL Powder provides you with a powder form of berberine that can easily be mixed with water. There is 98% HCL in this powder. It is free of additives and tested by 3rd party independent laboratories in the United States. Every container of LiftMode Berberine HCL powder ships with a certificate of authenticity. 

The berberine used in this powder are sourced from China but put together and quality tested in the United States. The berberine that is made into the powder used here is sourced from the Phellodendron amurense root bark, also known as CorkTree. 

6. Premium Berberine HCL

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Premium Berberine HCL contains 100% pure berberine at a dosage of 1200 mg per capsule.  Each bottle contains 180 capsules to provide you with a 3 month supply. This product contains no artificial ingredients, fillers, preservatives, or flavorings. It is soy, gluten, dairy, and gelatin-free. It is made in the USA and comes with a 3–day money-back guarantee. 

This berberine supplement is formulated with hydrochloride (HCl), which enhances its solubility in water and increases bioavailability. 

7. We Like Vitamins

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We Like Vitamins is the best value berberine supplement on the market. Rather than the 60 capsules that you find in the average berberine supplement, with this product you get a full 180 capsules, each one containing 1200 mg of berberine HCl. This product is encapsulated and bottled in the United States.

There are no artificial coloring, artificial flavors, preservatives, yeast, corn, milk or milk derivatives, lactose, salt, sodium, sugar, gluten starch, or wheat in this product. We Like Vitamins is another supplement company that has partnered with Vitamin Angels to help women and children around the world. In 2019, We Like Vitamins helped 70 million women and children in 74 countries. They also received a 4-star top rating on Charity Navigator.

8. Designs for Health Berberine

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Designs for Health Berberine contains 400 mg of berberine per capsule. In addition, there is a proprietary blend of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, non-soy derived lecithin, and tocotrienols. Unfortunately, because this is a proprietary blend, the individual dosage of these ingredients is not divulged. 

Designs for Health’s Evail technology allows for better digestion and absorbability of berberine than competitor products. The eco-conscious tinted glass bottles that are used provide a superior moisture barrier against oxygen and moisture to enhance the life and strength of the supplement. Designs for Health supplements are trusted and recommended by more than 50,000 health professionals worldwide. 

9. BM Vinvol Berberine

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BM Vinvol Berberine is a special formulation that combines the highest quality berberine HCl with Ceylon, Milk Thistle, Turmeric, Artichoke Leaf, and Black Pepper. In addition to the other well-established benefits of berberine, this combination will promote heart health, and healthy liver function, promote brain health, support weight management, gastrointestinal health, and healthy cholesterol levels. 

Inside every capsule, you get a massive 3000 mg of berberine, 150 mg of Ceylon cinnamon, 500 mg of artichoke leaf, 500 mg of turmeric, and 50 mg of black pepper. That adds up to a massive 4700 mg per capsule. 

10. NutriVein Premium Berberine Plus

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NutriVein Premium Berberine Plus combines 1200 mg of berberine HCL with 200 mg of organic Ceylon Cinnamon per serve. Berberine hydrochloride has been shown to be more easily absorbed by the body than standard berberine. This supplement comes as a tasteless and easy-to-swallow capsule.

The recommendation is to take two 1200 mg capsules per day, spread a few hours apart. This supplement is made in the United States in a GMP-compliant facility. Every batch of products is 3rd party tested for quality and purity. Your purchase is also supported by 30-day total satisfaction money-back guarantee. 

What is Berberine?

Berberine is an alkaloid that is extracted from a range of herbs, including barberry, goldenseal, and tree turmeric. It is taken from the roots, bark, and stems of these plants. The extract has a deep yellow color. The Chinese have been using berberine for thousands of years to treat diabetes. 

Berberine is in a  class of alkaloids called isoquinoline. They contain predominantly nitrogen atoms, which have been shown to improve cardiovascular and metabolic health. 

Benefits of Berberine

Berberine is being touted as a potential treatment for diabetes. It has been shown in studies to lower blood glucose levels and to help in the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes. In one study, supplementing with berberine was compared with taking the common diabetes drug metformin. The study group who took 500mg of berberine three times daily were able to control blood glucose levels just as well as metformin.

Berberine may also help to lower cholesterol levels and to reduce blood pressure. In a study, serum cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels were significantly reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes. 

Berberine is also marketed as a potential weight loss aid. Its main benefit in this regard is that it has the ability to activate adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). This enzyme is regarded as a master switch that controls metabolism. It has the ability to speed up the fat-burning activity of mitochondria. 

In one study, a group of obese people was supplemented with 500 mg of berberine, three times daily for a 12-week period. Results showed a lowering of lipids and a reduction in body weight. 

There is also evidence that berberine can help to treat the following health issues:

• SIBO
• Lung inflammation
• Cancer
• Alzheimer’s
• Heart disease
• Anti-aging
• Hypertension
• Gastrointestinal infection
• Low immunity
• Hypertension
• Low bone density

Buyer’s Guide

To make sure that you are getting the best quality berberine supplements, here are some critical points to consider:

Concentration

Look for a supplement that has a high concentration, even if it has a lower dosage than competitors with a lower concentration. Most product labels will indicate the concentration of berberine as a percentage. So, the higher the percentage on the label, the better. 

Fillers

Check the product label to make sure that the supplement does not contain additives, fillers or other ingredients that will dilute the purity of the product. 

Brands

There are four brands of supplements that you need to be aware of. Practitioner brands cost the most money but are also of high quality. They are only available from licensed health professionals. Consumer brands are those that you would find on the shelf in your local health store. You can compare the quality of consumer brands by considering the certifications that are displayed on the label. Be on the lookout for the following:

• USDA Organic
• Project Non-GMO
• Quality Assurance International

Online-only brands are manufactured by small manufacturers with limited product runs. The quality of these brands runs the gamut from horrendous to awesome, so you need to do your homework on them. Finally, there are store-brand supplements. These are the lowest quality and the cheapest you will find. The best store brand supplement in the market right now is Amazon’s Elements brand.

Natural vs Synthetic

You only want to be taking a natural, real herb-based supplement. Be wary of synthetic copies which are cheap to produce and are often nonorganic. They are more bioavailable and allow for higher dosages. Only go with whole food supplements. 

FAQs

What is the recommended dosage for berberine?

Most of the research studies have involved staggering the dosage throughout the day so that you take 500 mg at each of three sittings for a total of 1,500 mg spread throughout the day. The reason for this staggered dosage is that berberine has a short half-life. 

You should take your berberine supplement with a meal. That way you will be able to benefit from the post-meal blood glucose spike.

Are there any side effects associated with berberine supplementation?

The ability of berberine to lower blood glucose means that diabetics must be careful to closely monitor their levels when they are using this supplement. Diabetics should not start taking berberine before consulting with their doctor. The same applies if you have low blood pressure as this supplement may drive your levels even lower. 

Berberine should not be taken by women who are either pregnant or nursing their baby. 

Although there have been no known long-term side effects of berberine, you should speak to your doctor if you intend to take this supplement on a long-term basis. 

What are the best sources of berberine?

The three plants that contain the highest levels of berberine are:

Goldenseal

Goldenseal is a small plant from the United States that is a powerful antiseptic and is astringent and healing to the gut wall and other mucous membranes. It is often included in prescriptions for the lungs, reproductive tract, and kidneys. It is one of the most widely used herbs for inflammation of the digestive tract and for sinus problems.

Oregon Grape

Oregon Grape is a purple-berried shrub with holly shaped leaves native to the western coast of the United States. This is a useful herb for chronic skin, joint, and other inflammatory problems and it should be used topically for psoriasis. It has long had a reputation as one of the main alternative or cleansing herbs and is a staple in eczema and psoriasis. Oregano grape’s bitter and cholagogue effects are useful for poor appetite, sluggish digestion, and poor liver function.

Barberry

Barberry is a densely branched shrub with spines and yellow wood. It has bright and oblong-shaped berries in autumn. The bark of the root is considered by herbalists to be a highly effective remedy for gallbladder disease. In the Middle Ages, barberry flowers were recommended as a treatment for jaundice. Barberry must be avoided at all costs during pregnancy because it acts as a uterine stimulant and may lead to miscarriage. The most recent pharmaceutical interest in barberry has focused on its action against disease-causing protozoa.

Conclusion

Berberine is one of those herbal supplements that really does live up to the hype. In fact, the more we learn about this amazing extract, the more beneficial it becomes. In this article, I’ve highlighted ten of the best berberine supplements on the market today. My favorite berberine supplement overall is Berberine Plus from Best Naturals, which delivers 1000 mg berberine, 30 mg zinc, and 120 mg vitamin c per dose.