Recently, according to the US Vitamin and nutritional supplement product user survey report by ConsumerLab, the top three absolute increases in popularity in 2023 are: Pregnenolone (+7.5%), Magnesium (+ 4.8%), Berberine (+ 4.3%).

Among them, berberine can rank among the top three mainly because of its rapid popularity on social media TikTok, according to SPINS data, only from January to mid-July 2023, berberine product sales reached about $4.5 million, an increase of 88.8%. The reason is that it is advertised online as a natural alternative to the diet drug Ozempic (sommarlutide), which is an FDA-approved prescription drug for controlling blood sugar levels and weight in people with type 2 diabetes.

⚪ Popular in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medical treatments, berberine is a natural alkaloid found in a variety of herbal remedies.

⚪ Berberine has been shown to have antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic effects.

⚪ Benefits of berberine include potentially treating diabetes, lowering high cholesterol, fighting obesity, preventing neurological diseases, treating SIBO, supporting heart health, and promoting lung health.

⚪  Berberine has also shown potential to inhibit cancer, digestive problems, osteoporosis, burns, bacterial infections and even depression, although further research is needed.

⚪ Side effects of berberine are rare at moderate doses, but it can lower blood sugar and blood pressure, so people taking the drug must be cautious when using this supplement.