Diabetes is the second most research-supported condition on which berberine has a favorable effect on, with 47 records backing the relationship found on OneHealth Pro. 

Multiple mechanisms of action have been proposed and partially explored. 

Some studies suggest berberine “can combat oxidative stress and inflammation and thus ameliorate diabetes”. Others point towards berberine’s ability to “reduce blood glucose levels, increase insulin secretion, weaken glucose tolerance and insulin resistance by activating the AMPK pathway” as a mechanism to exhibit it anti-diabetic effects.

Berberine’s demonstrated anti-diabetic effects is what most likely propels its popularity as a weight loss medication. While recent studies have claimed that “berberine exhibits pharmacological activities and positive effects on the risk factors of obesity”, more research is needed to document berberine’s effectiveness as a weight loss medication.

Berberine may not be a proven weight loss medication, but it has shown other beneficial effects on health as a supplement.