Have you heard of berberine? At Thorne, we’ve been discussing its benefits for years, and now, with its recent trend on TikTok, it seems this ancient botanical is finally getting the modern attention it deserves (more on those TikTok claims in a minute).

Thorne’s Berberine formula has been upgraded so we can better address the health and wellness goals of our customers. The new dual-action formula contains the well-studied berberine hydrocholoride, as well as berberine phytosome ‒ to pack a 1-2 punch for your metabolic goals. But before we get to what’s new, let’s review what berberine is and how it’s used.

An ancient botanical with modern applications

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), berberine, or Huang Lian, is a “bitter” and “cold” herb extract used to clear “heat” and “dampness” from the body and relieve toxicity. TCM uses berberine to treat “heat” and “damp” in the stomach and intestines, which in Western terminology translates to digestive upset, bowel changes, and stomach discomfort.*

We see this in modern use as well! Berberine can have some powerful benefits for the health of the microbiome.* Berberine supports a beneficial bacteria balance in the gut, maintains a healthy microbiome, and supports the diversity of intestinal flora – which is essential to good digestion, and a positive mood.* Need a status check on your gut health? Then check out Thorne’s at-home Gut Health Test!

But as fabulous as a balanced biome is, it’s not what’s got berberine in the spotlight. As previously mentioned, TikTok has been over-the-top in touting some potent benefits of berberine by making comparisons to popular weight loss medications. Well, Thorne believes this is taking it too far because many of the claims circulating on TikTok just aren’t true. But that doesn’t diminish the multiple benefits that berberine actually can have for metabolic health and weight management efforts.* 

Metabolic effects of berberine

Although there is no strict definition, when we talk about metabolic health, we are referring to your body composition and blood levels of glucose and cholesterol, as well as how your body processes them to produce energy. Berberine supports each of these biometrics to help optimize metabolic health.* 

Berberine promotes healthy blood sugar metabolism and insulin sensitivity.* This means berberine supports the way your body responds to carbohydrates in your diet and how you utilize those for fuel.* When your body doesn’t properly respond to carbohydrate intake, it can lead to issues like lethargy, poor mood, hormone imbalance, and weight gain. Maintaining a healthy insulin response is imperative to healthy metabolic function and maintenance of normal blood sugar levels.* In addition to blood sugar, berberine can also support healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels.* 

How berberine supports a healthy weight

Maintaining healthy blood glucose and cholesterol levels are important parts of a healthy weight management plan, and studies show that berberine can support such a plan in multiple ways.* Berberine supports the metabolism of fat in the liver, so it can be processed out of the body.* Supplementing with berberine can also help your other efforts to decrease abdominal fat and maintain a healthy waist-to-hip ratio.* The real takeaway here is the overall health and wellness benefits that berberine offers. Take all of the metabolic and weight management benefits and wrap it up with a bow of microbiome health.* As we know, a healthy microbiome is key for weight management too!

Why add berberine phytosome?

You may be asking, “Well, if berberine already did this cool stuff, then why did Thorne change it?” That’s an easy answer! Or two, actually… Thorne had two reasons for adding berberine phytosome to the Berberine formula – added benefits and reduced adverse effects.

Berberine phytosome, like all of our phytosome ingredients, is a clinically studied ingredient from our partners at Indena. Indena’s patented phytosome technology enhances the bioavailability of ingredients with a lipid matrix that helps the active constituents in the phytosome complex cross through the gut lining and into the body. Optimizing the absorption of berberine helps boost its metabolic effects.* In fact, clinical studies specific to berberine phytosome demonstrate beneficial effects on body composition and abdominal fat.*

But that’s not all! One of my favorite benefits of berberine phytosome is that studies show it offers nutritional support for women with PCOS.* The metabolic benefits of Thorne’s Berberine before the reformulation were great, but clinical studies show berberine phytosome benefits body mass, metabolic measures, hormone balance, and skin health.* Yep, all of it. Berberine phytosome promotes not only balanced insulin, but also testosterone balance.* Excess androgens, prevalent in PCOS, can cause abnormal hair growth, hair loss, and skin complaints, such as acne. By supporting a healthy testosterone level, berberine phytosome helps address both the metabolic dysregulation of PCOS, as well as the common aesthetic concerns found in women who suffer from PCOS.* 

For another great product designed to support women with PCOS and benefit fertility, check out Thorne’s Ovarian Care.* You can also head over to our Wellness Guides for Fertility and PCOS Support guides to assist you on your journey.

So, what does the new Berberine formula NOT do?

Here’s where reason number two comes in! Berberine is a bitter plant alkaloid that can be irritating to the sensitive tissues in the gut and has a tendency to cause digestive upset. Because berberine phytosome is more efficiently absorbed through the gut, and has the phytosome matrix surrounding the active constituents, it helps protect the GI tract from possible irritation.* The reason we still use berberine hydrochloride in the formula, and didn’t swap it out for a complete berberine phytosome formula, is because we still want to maintain some of the berberine alkaloid within the gut lumen so it can exert the microbiome benefits we discussed above.* Hence, “Dual Action Formula.”