Unlocking the Health Benefits of Berberine:
Natural Support for Blood Sugar, Heart Health, Weight Management, and More!

Berberine, a compound extracted from Goldenseal and Barberry plants, supports metabolic and microbiome health. Berberine is not new — it has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years for GI health and other conditions. 

Today berberine is a hot topic because scientists are studying it for its support in many chronic conditions like overweight, uncontrolled blood sugar, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and blood pressure management.

Berberine supports healthy blood sugar levels which can reduce sugar cravings, making it easier to stay away from sugary, empty calorie foods.

Berberine also benefits the gut microbiome by enhancing populations of beneficial species. This too can affect blood sugar control, potentially influencing weight and fat accumulation. 

Some doctors use berberine as an alternative to Metformin to achieve a healthy HbA1c.

Berberine’s beneficial effects are reflected in health biomarkers like BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Most Individuals Today Are Using Berberine As a Support for Metabolic Syndrome

What is Metabolic Syndrome? Metabolic syndrome is a condition of having at least three of these health risk factors:

• Extra Belly Fat Around the Waistline
• High Blood Pressure
• High Blood Sugar
• High Triglycerides
• Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol

Having metabolic syndrome makes it more likely to develop serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes, or have a stroke.

Metabolic syndrome often occurs because of unhealthy lifestyle habits like poor diet, being inactive and being overweight.

The good news is that you can manage metabolic syndrome with a healthy lifestyle, by eating healthy foods, being physically active and losing extra pounds.

How Berberine Helps at a Celluar Level

Berberine helps your body by working with a special enzyme in each cell called AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase).

AMPK is activated in response to things like low blood sugar, heavy exertion, extreme hot or cold temperatures.

Berberine activates AMPK which then switches “on” cellular metabolism, regulating metabolism and energy expenditure. It’s the body’s way of responding to low energy levels. The effects are systemic throughout the body. 

(The AMPK pathway also explains how intermittent fasting may help with weight loss.)

When AMPK is switched “on” it in turn influences healthy levels of HDL cholesterol vs LDL cholesterol, and reduces triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar, insulin resistance and visceral obesity (“belly fat”).

But in order for AMPK to be activated, berberine needs to be absorbed! The challenge is that standard berberine can be difficult for the body to absorb.

Berberine Ultra Absorption

It is estimated that only about five percent of any given dosage of standard berberine actually makes it into the bloodstream, so finding a way to enhance absorption is key to getting the full advantage of its benefits.

Euromedica’s Berberine Ultra Absorb meets that challenge — it is enhanced with a proven, special dual-action absorption delivery method that is both water and fat-soluble, making it a highly absorbable form of berberine, enabling much higher levels to reach the bloodstream.

Enhanced absorption berberine also means optimal results at lower dosages.

Berberine in the News

There’s a lot of media hype about using berberine specifically for weight loss, calling it “nature’s Ozempic.” 

My view is that berberine is a wonderful time-tested science-backed herbal supplement for overall metabolic support, including supporting healthy blood sugar levels and lipid metabolism.

Often there is a modest weight loss as a result (which my clients are very happy about), but berberine is not a “miracle” weight loss supplement.

As for many supplements, berberine is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for children. Since berberine can lower blood sugar levels, patients taking Metformin (or other blood sugar lowering medications) should consult with their doctor before adding berberine.

Interested in learning more about berberine? Book a consultation.

In Summary — See My Instagram Reel about the Berberine Buzz!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Janet Zarowitz, Westchester,NY (@janet_zarowitz_rd)

Support a Healthy Microbiome for a Healthy Gut

You may have heard by now, a healthy microbiome protects integrity of gut lining barrier. The gut barrier is designed to keep bad things out of our bodies, like toxins out of bloodstream. When things get into our bloodstream that don’t belong there, it sets off an immune response.

Microbial diversity and large populations are necessary to provide resilience as well as an abundance of species that produce butyrate and those that support the mucus lining.

A healthy and diverse gut microbiome does these things for us:

Maintains Thick Mucus Layer – A thick mucus layer in the gut lining is necessary to keep bad things from getting into our bloodstream from the gut. Beneficial gut bacteria support production of goblet cells in intestinal mucosa that produce the thick mucus layer.

Reduces Inflammation – A healthy gut lining should not be inflamed. Certain beneficial bacteria help us keep down inflammation by fermenting nondigestive dietary fiber from plants. They produce a byproduct of short chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) such as butyrate which is anti-inflammatory.

Maintains Tight Junctions – A metabolite of many beneficial gut bacteria, butyrate decreases low grade inflammation of the gut lining, supports maintenance and repair of tight junctions in gut lining, and has many other functions throughout body.

Fights Pathogens – A diverse microbiome competes with pathogens, keeping them at bay from wreaking havoc on our bodies.

Maintains Gut Motility – The microbiome helps us to have normal gut motility. This not only helps with proper elimination, but also accelerates healing of damaged cells post infection.

Supports Maturation of Immune System and Healthy Immune Tolerance – By keeping things balanced and calm in the gut, and by supporting gut lining integrity, foreign entities are unlikely to cross over into the bloodstream where the immune system might overreact.

We need the gut microbiome to “tend” to our gut. If your gut microbiome is not “tending” to your gut lining, you are more vulnerable to inflammation and leaky gut and even the onset of chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes.

Hippocrates was right ….”All Disease Begins in the Gut.”

Modern scientific researchers are figuring out just why that’s so.

I’d like to share with you a few of my favorite nutrition supplements for gut health.

MegaSporeBiotic probiotic — foundational for gut microbiome rebalancing, maintaining gut lining and more!

Cal-Mag Butyrate — foundational for reducing inflammation, detoxifying and maintaining gut lining and more!

Histamine-Digest (Umbrellux-DAO) — for clearing histamines in the gut and histamine symptom relief.

MegaSporeBiotic

Microorganisms in your gut are the “commanding officers” that give orders and send messages throughout your body that control your health.

If your gut ecology is “off” then their communications so will be communications, which will affect your health and well-being. Everything is affected, from nutrient absorption to hormonal balance, from mood and cognitive function to weight management, from your immune health to your energy levels and even your ability to sleep well.

So, how do we get our the ecology of our gut microbes back in balance? One of the best ways is with a clinically studied spore-based probiotic like MegaSporeBiotic, which crowds out the “bad” bacteria, and supports the growth of the “good guys” that are under-populated. It’s different from most other probiotics.

Most other probiotics contain strains that don’t survive the “trip” through the GI tract. MegaSporeBiotic is different…it gets where it needs to be and is not destroyed by stomach acid.

MegaSporeBiotic also helps to heal the gut by reducing inflammation, healing leaky gut, producing key nutrients like antioxidants, B-Vitamins and Vitamin K2 and increasing short chain fatty acids like butyrate. MegaSporeBiotic aids digestion, improves regularity and provides immune modulation.

MegaSporeBiotic is the foundational piece of the Total Gut Restoration program from Microbiome Labs, also with MegaPre and MegaMucosa (or MegaIgG2000).

Cal-Mag Butyrate

Many gut bacteria naturally produce short chain fatty acids like butyrate. Butyrate encourages the formation of friendly bacteria in the gut, lowers the expression of inflammatory immune markers, detoxifies ammonia, and supports the health of the gut lining.

But, if you have a poor gut ecology/dysbiosis, not enough gut species producing short chain fatty acids like butyrate), or gut inflammation, a butyrate supplement like Cal-Mag Butyrate may be beneficial. Butyrate has been clinically studied in inflammatory intestinal conditions like IBS, IBD and Crohn’s. You can find Cal-Mag Butyrate in my online store.

(Butyrate got its name because it’s found in butter!)

Histamine Digest (formerly Umbrellux DAO) – Histamine Symptom Relief

Though in the long-term you certainly need to address what’s underlying your gut issues, in the short-term people may also need relief.

Histamine Digest can provide relief for people with histamine intolerance. When sensitive individuals eat histamine-rich foods (or alcohol or drugs that release histamines or block the DAO enzyme) they may suffer from symptoms like diarrhea, stomach pain, hives, nasal congestion, red eyes, or flushing.

Taken about 15 minutes before a meal, Histamine Digest supplies an enzyme that clears histamine in the digestive tract. While our bodies naturally make DAO, some people may have a higher requirement or do not produce enough DAO on their own.

Check out my online store for more supplements for digestive health.

Did you know that chia seeds can be very soothing for the intestines?

Watch my intern Josh Edelstein, a culinary nutrition student at Johnson and Wales University, whip up a Chia Seed Pudding in a jar. It makes a great easy to make snack that your body will thank you for.

Chia seeds are demulcents, and help to build and repair the mucosal layer in your gut. We need this gel-like layer in the gut for immune defense — to support a diverse community of intestinal microbes, to prevent leaky gut, to quell inflammation, and for normal digestion/elimination.

These tiny black seeds are also packed with nutrition. Chia seeds provide fiber, protein, Omega-3 fats, minerals (e.g. magnesium, manganese, calcium and phosphorus) and vitamins (e.g. B vitamins).

Watch this 1 minute video and you’ll see just how easy it is to be good to your gut!

P.S. Add a probiotic boost to this recipe — add the contents of a MegaSporeBiotic capsule before you shake it all up!

Basic ingredients:

1 C plant milk

4 Tbsp Chia Seeds

1/2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Berries or other fruit

(options include ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, ginger)

Looking for a festive, yet healthy (and easy!) recipe for a St. Patrick’s day dessert? My nutrition intern Josh shows you how to make a Matcha Loaf Bread. He added MegaSporeBiotic for the #CookMoreSpores challenge, showcasing how you can utilize this great probiotic addition to any recipe —cold or hot (up to 450ºF).

• Support healthy immune balance and function
• Maintain strong adhesion and colonization in the gut
• Support a healthier gut lining
• Support increased microbial diversity
• Maintain a healthy balance of desirable and undesirable microbes
• Support optimal digestion and absorption
• Provide support for proper bowel function, gut motility, and transit time

Enjoy this 1 minute video and delicious dessert!

NOTE:
You can add 1-2 capsules of MegaSporeBiotic to any warm meals, breads, and in other baked desserts.

The spores are heat stable up to 450 degrees F.

MegaSporeBiotic probiotics have a resilient outer coat that is resistant to not only heat, but also to acids, and radiation.

Looking for creative ways to incorporate healthy probiotics into your and your family’s diet without taking capsules?

Here is a recipe video created by my intern Josh for Berry Layered Overnight Oats, a microbiome-friendly recipe. In this recipe, which part of  the #CookMoreSpores challenge, he added two capsules of MegaSporeBiotic.

You can add MegaSporeBiotic  probiotic to any cold recipe. (And by the way, the spores are also heat stable up to 450 degrees F so you want to use them in cooked recipes!)

The spores in MegaSporeBiotic have a resilient outer coat of armor that is resistant to extreme heat, acidity, radiation, and chemicals. The spore form ensures that spore-based probiotics effectively colonize the gut to maintain total-body health in countless ways. MegaSporeBiotic can help your body:

• Support healthy immune balance and function
• Maintain strong adhesion and colonization in the gut
• Support a healthier gut lining
• Support increased microbial diversity
• Maintain a healthy balance of desirable and undesirable microbes
• Support optimal digestion and absorption
• Provide support for proper bowel function, gut motility, and transit time

This 1 minute cooking video will show you just how easy it is to make a delicious overnight oats recipe that supports a healthy and diverse gut microbiome! Great gut health and great breakfast…great way to start your day!

Basic Ingredients:

1/2 c Old Fashioned Oats

1/2 c Almond or other plant milk

1/4 c Vanilla Yogurt (milk or plant based)

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds

Fruit – 1/2 c sliced bananas, plus other fruit to layer like blueberries, raspberries, peaches

A recent study published in The International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X shows that taking MegaPre together with MegaSporeBiotic both increases microbial diversity in the gut and increases total SCFA (short chain fatty acid) production by 80-140%.

When testing MegaSporeBiotic alone (without MegaPre), there was a still significant (though less impressive) 24-70% increase in total SCFAs among donors. For this reason, it is highly recommended to take MegaPre in conjunction with MegaSporeBiotic.

SCFA’s such as butyrate, are important anti-inflammatory metabolites that maintain intestinal homeostasis, maintain a healthy gut lining, and support a healthy immune system.

Microbiome Labs (manufacturer of MegaSporeBiotic and MegaPre) has completed 14 clinical trials. Recently they purchased a microbiome research lab at California State University in Sacramento.

Microbiome Labs utilizes the SHIME®️  model in many of their studies, a unique scientifically validated, dynamic model of the complete gastrointestinal tract from the stomach to the colon, to study chemical, enzymatic, and microbial variables of the digestive tract in a controlled in vitro setting.

The SHIME model includes 5 reactors that simulate the stomach, small intestine, and the 3 regions of the large intestine: the ascending, transverse, and descending colon. Careful control of the environmental variables in each reactor allows studying the effects of a compound or finished product in each segment of the digestive tract as well as the gut microbiome over several weeks.

SHIME stands for the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem.

What is most concerning about the coronavirus and getting COVID-19 is developing life threatening complications — like pneumonia and extreme difficulty breathing.

But what does gut health have to do with COVID-19 and the respiratory complications?

According to this editorial, “2019 Novel coronavirus infection and gastrointestinal tract,” in Journal of Digestive Diseases:

“In early February [2020], the guidance (version 5) established by the China’s National Health Commission and National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine recommended that in the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 infection, probiotics may be used to maintain the balance of intestinal microecology and prevent secondary bacterial infection.”

In this editorial, the the researchers explain the mechanism of action. They describe how certain receptors (ACE2 receptors) which are abundant in the lining of both the lungs and intestines, are the possible access route for COVID-19.

Part of the function of these receptors is linked to the microbial ecology in the gastrointestinal tract; mutations in these receptors express decreased antimicrobial function and show altered gut microbial composition. This information leads the authors to have the hypothesis that COVID‐19 may, to some extent, be related to the gut microbiota.

Gut–lung Crosstalk

The authors admit that the connection between the lung and the gastrointestinal tract is not completely understood. However, they explain that what is well known is that the respiratory tract houses its own microbiota, and that patients with respiratory infections generally have gut dysfunction or secondary gut dysfunction complications, which are related to a more severe clinical course of the disease, thus indicating gut–lung crosstalk. They observe that this phenomenon exists in patients with COVID‐19.

Numerous studies have shown that modulating gut microbiota can reduce intestinal inflammation and ventilator‐associated pneumonia, and it can reverse certain side effects of antibiotics to avoid early influenza virus replication in lung epithelia.

Preliminary, but Hopeful

That said, at this time there is no direct clinical evidence that the modulation of gut microbiota plays the therapeutic role in the treatment of COVID‐19, but they speculate that targeting gut microbiota may be a new therapeutic option or at least an adjuvant therapeutic choice.

“Although no specific antiviral treatment has been recommended to date, we speculate that probiotics may modulate the gut microbiota to alter the gastrointestinal symptoms favorably and may also protect the respiratory system.”

Gut Microbiome, Essential to Health, In General 

A healthy and diverse ecology of gut microbes is fundamentally essential to good health. In fact, when our gut health and gut barrier are compromised, we also have a higher risk of acute and chronic diseases.