Origin & tradition
Berberine is the active alkaloid in Huang Lian (黄连) and related herbs, long used in Chinese medicine for digestive and heat-clearing applications.
Eastern tradition · Practitioner Supply
Berberine 小檗碱 · 黄连素
An alkaloid from Chinese herbs (Coptis / Huang Lian) with human RCTs on metabolic health and an AMPK/sirtuin longevity rationale.
126ClinicalTrials.gov matched
125PubMed RCT records
107Meta-analysis records
11+PubMed records
BerberineKey active compound
Data definition. Matched records include all indexed medical endpoints for this intervention — not only longevity. Longevity-relevant records are screened separately and cited in the evidence summary below. Counts are matched-record volumes, not de-duplicated trials and not efficacy claims.
Why longevity buyers care
Key active: Berberine (isoquinoline alkaloid).
Berberine activates AMPK — the same energy-sensing pathway as metformin — and is studied for SIRT1 activation and autophagy, with human RCTs on glucose, lipids and metabolic syndrome.
Effect summary
Studied health outcomes
Editorial summary — This table is curated by hand from published research consensus, not automatically calculated from our trial database. Grades reflect our interpretation of the literature. Treat as a starting point, not a definitive verdict. See the Evidence panel below for the underlying trial and paper counts sourced directly from ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed.
| Health outcome | Effect | Magnitude | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fasting blood glucose | Decreases | Strong | A |
| HbA1c | Decreases | Strong | A |
| LDL cholesterol | Decreases | Moderate | A |
| Triglycerides | Decreases | Moderate | A |
| Body weight | Decreases | Minor | B |
| AMPK activation | Increases | Strong | B |
| Gut microbiome diversity | Increases | Moderate | B |
Grade: A = robust RCTs · B = several RCTs / meta-analysis · C = limited or mixed RCTs · D = observational or early data
Dosage guidance
How Berberine is typically used
- Typical dose
- 500 mg, 2–3× daily (1,000–1,500 mg total)
- Form
- capsule (berberine HCl)
- Timing
- with or before meals to reduce GI upset
Dihydroberberine (DHB) achieves comparable effects at ~100–200 mg with far better bioavailability. Do not combine with CYP3A4-metabolized drugs without medical supervision.
Informational only — not a prescription or personalised medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician before starting any supplement or medication.
Evidence summary
What the research actually says
85Evidence confidence
Extensive human-trial evidence125 randomized controlled trials · 107 meta-analyses / systematic reviews
Human RCTs (metabolic syndrome, NAFLD); mechanistic longevity rationale
Berberine activates AMPK — the same energy-sensing pathway as metformin — and is studied for SIRT1 activation and autophagy, with human RCTs on glucose, lipids and metabolic syndrome.
126registered clinical trials reference this intervention
3selected from 11+ PubMed papers (longevity / aging angle)
Key active: Berberine chloride (C20H18ClNO4) · ChEMBL CHEMBL12089 · max clinical phase 1 · natural product
According to PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov: trial counts from ClinicalTrials.gov, peer-reviewed literature from PubMed, compound data from EMBL-EBI ChEMBL. Counts auto-refresh weekly; last checked 2026-07-19. They include trials across many endpoints, not only longevity.
Informational only — not medical advice, a treatment claim, or a substitute for a qualified clinician. Evidence strength varies; we show mixed and null results on purpose.
Evidence collections
Berberine appears in
Compare the evidence
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Compare the evidence
How Berberine stacks up
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