Berberine For Metabolic Health

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Is Berberine Nature’s Ozempic/Wegovy?

Berberine is a compound found in many plants. Of which, some of them are variations of the barberry, hence the name.

It’s been popular this past couple of years, mostly for weight loss. In and of itself, something being good for weight loss doesn’t mean it’s good for the health (just ask diarrhoea, or cancer).

Happily, berberine’s mechanisms of action appear to be good for metabolic health, including:

  • Reduced fasting blood sugar levels
  • Improved insulin sensitivity
  • Reduced LDL and triglycerides
  • Increased HDL levels

So, what does the science say?

It’s (mostly!) not nature’s Wegovy/Ozempic

It’s had that title in a number of sensationalist headlines (and a current TikTok trend, apparently), but while both berberine and the popular weight-loss drugs Wegovy/Ozempic act in part on insulin metabolism, they mostly do so by completely different mechanisms.

Wegovy and Ozempic are GLP-1 agonists, which mean they augment the action of glucagon-like-peptide 1, which increases insulin release, decreases glucagon release, and promotes a more lasting feeling of fullness.

Berberine works mostly by other means, not all of which are understood. But, we know that it activates AMP-activated protein kinase, and on the flipside, inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9.

In less arcane words: it boosts some enzymes and inhibits others.

Each of these boosts/inhibitions has a positive effect on metabolic health.

However, it does also have a slight GLP-1 agonist effect too! Bacteria in the gut can decompose and metabolize berberine into dihydroberberine, thus preventing the absorption of disaccharides in the intestinal tract, and increasing GLP-1 levels.

See: Effects of Berberine on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota

Does it work for weight loss?

Yes, simply put. And if we’re going to put it head-to-head with Wegovy/Ozempic, it works about half as well. Which sounds like a criticism, but for a substance that’s a lot safer (and cheaper, and easier—if we like capsules over injections) and has fewer side effects.

❝But more interestingly, the treatment significantly reduced blood lipid levels (23% decrease of triglyceride and 12.2% decrease of cholesterol levels) in human subjects.

However, there was interestingly, an increase in calcitriol levels seen in all human subjects following berberine treatment (mean 59.5% increase)

Collectively, this study demonstrates that berberine is a potent lipid-lowering compound with a moderate weight loss effect, and may have a possible potential role in osteoporosis treatment/prevention.❞

(click through to read in full)

Is it safe?

It appears to be, with one special caveat: remember that paper about the effects of berberine on the gastrointestinal microbiota? It also has some antimicrobial effects, so you could do harm there if not careful. It’s recommended to give it a break every couple of months, to be sure of allowing your gut microbiota to not get too depleted.

Also, as with anything you might take that’s new, always consult your doctor/pharmacist in case of contraindications based on medications you are taking.

Where can I get it?

As ever, we don’t sell it, but here’s an example product on Amazon, for your convenience.

Enjoy!

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  • Cooling Bulgarian Tarator

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    The “Bulgarian” qualifier is important here because the name “tarator” is used to refer to several different dishes from nearby-ish countries, and they aren’t the same. Today’s dish (a very healthy and deliciously cooling cucumber soup) isn’t well-known outside of Bulgaria, but it should be, and with your help we can share it around the world. It’s super-easy and takes only about 10 minutes to prepare:

    You will need

    • 1 large cucumber, cut into small (¼” x ¼”) cubes or small (1″ x ⅛”) batons (the size is important; any smaller and we lose texture; any larger and we lose the balance of the soup, and also make it very different to eat with a spoon)
    • 2 cups plain unsweetened yogurt (your preference what kind; live-cultured of some kind is best, and yes, vegan is fine too)
    • 1½ cup water, chilled but not icy (fridge-temperature is great)
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts (substitutions are not advised; omit if allergic)
    • ½ bulb garlic, minced
    • 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
    • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
    • ½ tsp MSG* or 1 tsp low-sodium salt

    Method

    (we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

    1) Mix the cucumber, garlic, 2 tbsp of the dill, oil, MSG-or-salt and pepper in a big bowl

    2) Add the yogurt and mix it in too

    3) Add the cold water slowly and stir thoroughly; it may take a minute to achieve smooth consistency of the liquid—it should be creamy but thin, and definitely shouldn’t stand up by itself

    4) Top with the chopped nuts, and the other tbsp of dill as a garnish

    5) Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge until ready to serve. It’s perfect as a breakfast or a light lunch, by the way.

    Enjoy!

    Want to learn more?

    For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

    Take care!

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  • No, beetroot isn’t vegetable Viagra. But here’s what else it can do

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    Beetroot has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Supply issues in recent months have seen a shortage of tinned beetroot on Australian supermarket shelves. At one point, a tin was reportedly selling on eBay for more than A$65.

    But as supplies increase, we turn our attention to beetroot’s apparent health benefits.

    Is beetroot really vegetable Viagra, as UK TV doctor Michael Mosley suggests? What about beetroot’s other apparent health benefits – from reducing your blood pressure to improving your daily workout? Here’s what the science says.

    What’s so special about beetroot?

    Beetroot – alongside foods such as berries, nuts and leafy greens – is a “superfood”. It contains above-average levels per gram of certain vitamins and minerals.

    Beetroot is particularly rich in vitamin B and C, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.

    Most cooking methods don’t significantly alter its antioxidant levels. Pressure cooking does, however, lower levels of carotenoid (a type of antioxidant) compared to raw beetroot.

    Processing into capsules, powders, chips or juice may affect beetroot’s ability to act as an antioxidant. However, this can vary between products, including between different brands of beetroot juice.

    Is beetroot really vegetable Viagra?

    The Romans are said to have used beetroot and its juice as an aphrodisiac.

    But there’s limited scientific evidence to say beetroot improves your sex life. This does not mean it doesn’t. Rather, the vast number of scientific studies looking at the effect of beetroot have not measured libido or other aspects of sexual health.

    How could it work?

    When we eat beetroot, chemical reactions involving bacteria and enzymes transform the nitrate in beetroot into nitrite, then to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps dilate (widen) blood vessels, potentially improving circulation.

    The richest sources of dietary nitric oxide that have been tested in clinical studies are beetroot, rocket and spinach.

    Nitric oxide is also thought to support testosterone in its role in controlling blood flow before and during sex in men.

    Beetroot’s ability to improve blood flow can benefit the circulatory system of the heart and blood vessels. This may positively impact sexual function, theoretically in men and women.

    Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest there could be a modest link between beetroot and preparedness for sex, but don’t expect it to transform your sex life.

    What else could it do?

    Beetroot has received increasing attention over recent years due to its antioxidant and anti-tumour effect in humans.

    Clinical trials have not verified all beetroot’s active ingredients and their effects. However, beetroot may be a potentially helpful treatment for various health issues related to oxidative stress and inflammation, such as cancer and diabetes. The idea is that you can take beetroot supplements or eat extra beetroot alongside your regular medicines (rather than replace them).

    There is evidence beetroot juice can help lower systolic blood pressure (the first number in your blood pressure reading) by 2.73-4.81 mmHg (millimetres of mercury, the standard unit of measuring blood pressure) in people with high blood pressure. Some researchers say this reduction is comparable to the effects seen with certain medications and dietary interventions.

    Other research finds even people without high blood pressure (but at risk of it) could benefit.

    Beetroot may also improve athletic performance. Some studies show small benefits for endurance athletes (who run, swim or cycle long distances). These studies looked at various forms of the food, such as beetroot juice as well as beetroot-based supplements.

    How to get more beetroot in your diet

    There is scientific evidence to support positive impacts of consuming beetroot in whole, juice and supplement forms. So even if you can’t get hold of tinned beetroot, there are plenty of other ways you can get more beetroot into your diet. You can try:

    • raw beetroot – grate raw beetroot and add it to salads or coleslaw, or slice beetroot to use as a crunchy topping for sandwiches or wraps
    • cooked beetroot – roast beetroot with olive oil, salt and pepper for a flavour packed side dish. Alternatively, steam beetroot and serve it as a standalone dish or mixed into other dishes
    • beetroot juice – make fresh beetroot juice using a juicer. You can combine it with other fruits and vegetables for added flavour. You can also blend raw or cooked beetroot with water and strain to make a juice
    • smoothies – add beetroot to your favourite smoothie. It pairs well with fruits such as berries, apples and oranges
    • soups – use beetroot in soups for both flavour and colour. Borscht is a classic beetroot soup, but you can also experiment with other recipes
    • pickled beetroot – make pickled beetroot at home, or buy it from the supermarket. This can be a tasty addition to salads or sandwiches
    • beetroot hummus – blend cooked beetroot into your homemade hummus for a vibrant and nutritious dip. You can also buy beetroot hummus from the supermarket
    • grilled beetroot – slice beetroot and grill it for a smoky flavour
    • beetroot chips – slice raw beetroot thinly, toss the slices with olive oil and your favourite seasonings, then bake or dehydrate them to make crispy beetroot chips
    • cakes and baked goods – add grated beetroot to muffins, cakes, or brownies for a moist and colourful twist.
    Three squares of beetroot/chocolate cake with white icing and nuts sprinkled on top
    You can add beetroot to baked goods. Ekaterina Khoroshilova/Shutterstock

    Are there any downsides?

    Compared to the large number of studies on the beneficial effects of beetroot, there is very little evidence of negative side effects.

    If you eat large amounts of beetroot, your urine may turn red or purple (called beeturia). But this is generally harmless.

    There have been reports in some countries of beetroot-based dietary supplements contaminated with harmful substances, yet we have not seen this reported in Australia.

    What’s the take-home message?

    Beetroot may give some modest boost to sex for men and women, likely by helping your circulation. But it’s unlikely to transform your sex life or act as vegetable Viagra. We know there are many contributing factors to sexual wellbeing. Diet is only one.

    For individually tailored support talk to your GP or an accredited practising dietitian.

    Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland and Emily Burch, Lecturer, Southern Cross University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • Farmed Fish vs Wild Caught

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    It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!

    Have a question or a request? You can always hit “reply” to any of our emails, or use the feedback widget at the bottom!

    In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!

    As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!

    So, no question/request too big or small 😎

    ❝Is it good to eat farm raised fish?❞

    We’ll answer this as a purely health-related question (and thus not considering economy, ecology, ethics, or taste).

    It’s certainly not as good as wild-caught fish, for several reasons, some more serious than others:

    Farmed fish can have quite a different nutritional profile to wild-caught fish, and also contain more contaminants, including heavy metals.

    For example, farmed fish tend to have much higher fat content for the same amount of protein, but lower levels of minerals and other nutrients. Here are two side-by-side:

    Wild-caught salmon | Farmed salmon

    See also:

    Quantitative analysis of the benefits and risks of consuming farmed and wild salmon

    Additionally, because fish in fish farms tend to be very susceptible to diseases (because of the artificially cramped and overcrowded environment), fish farms tend to make heavy use of antibiotics, which can cause all sorts of problems down the line:

    Extended antibiotic treatment in salmon farms select multiresistant gut bacteria with a high prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes

    So definitely, “let the buyer beware”!

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  • How To En-Joy Life (With Long-Term Benefits)

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    New Year’s Dissolutions?

    We have talked previously about:

    The Science Of New Year’s Pre-Resolutions

    …and here we are now at the end of the first week of January; how’s it going?

    Hopefully, based on that article, it’s been going just great since December! For most people, statistically speaking, it hasn’t.

    Around now is typically when many people enter the “bargaining” stage of New Year’s Resolutions, which at this point are often in serious danger of becoming New Year’s Dissolutions.

    What’s important, really?

    When trying to juggle potentially too many new items, it’s important to be able to decide where to focus one’s efforts in the case of needing to drop a ball or two.

    First, the laziest way…

    The path of least resistance

    This is perhaps most people’s go-to. It, without too much thought, drops whatever feels most onerous, and continues with what seems easiest.

    This is not a terrible approach, because what we enjoy, we will be more likely to continue. But it can be improved upon, while still getting that benefit.

    Marie Kondo your resolutions values

    Instead of throwing out the new habits that “don’t spark joy”, ask yourself:

    “What brings me joy?”

    …because often, the answer is something that’s a result of a thing that didn’t “spark joy” directly. Many things in life involve delayed gratification.

    Let’s separate the [unwanted action] from the [wanted result] for a moment.

    Rather than struggling on with something unpleasant for the hope of joy at the end of the rainbow, though, give yourself permission to improve the middle bit.

    For example, if the idea of having lots of energy and good cardiovascular fitness is what prompted you to commit to those 6am runs each morning (but they’re not actually joyous in your experience), what would be more fun and still give you the same benefit?

    Now that you know “having lots of energy and good CV fitness” is what sparks joy, not “getting up to run at 6am”, you can change lanes without pulling off the highway entirely.

    Maybe a dance class will be more your speed, for example.

    The key here is: you’ll have changed your resolution, without breaking it in any way that mattered

    Want more ways to keep on track without burning out?

    Who doesn’t? So, check out:

    How To Keep On Keeping On… Long Term!

    Enjoy!

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  • What Your Eyes Say About Your Health (If You Have A Mirror, You Can Do This Now!)

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    In an age when doctors are increasingly pressed to get you out of their office quickly and not take the time to do thorough tests, having a good basic knowledge of signs and symptoms of disease has become more important than ever for all of us:

    The eyes have it:

    Dr. Siobhan Deshauer is back, this time working with Dr. Maria Howard, a Canadian optometrist, who advised behind-the-scenes to ensure the best information about these signs and symptoms and what they tell us:

    1. Color blindness test: Ishihara color test identifies color blindness; in the version in the video, seeing “74” is normal, “12” indicates red-green color blindness, and no numbers suggest complete color blindness due to genetics or retinal/optic nerve issues.
    2. Yellow sclera (scleral icterus): yellow sclera indicates high bilirubin from excessive red blood cell breakdown, liver damage, bile duct blockage, or Gilbert syndrome.
    3. Blue sclera: indicates thin collagen in the sclera, which can be linked to osteogenesis imperfecta, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Marfan syndrome.
    4. Pink eye: caused by infections, autoimmune diseases, or trauma; persistent symptoms or associated pain/vision changes need medical evaluation.
    5. Physiologic diplopia (double vision): normal test where fingers appear doubled when focusing on different planes; absence may indicate amblyopia.
    6. Pinhole test (visual acuity): looking through a small pinhole can determine if glasses are needed for clearer vision.
    7. Nearsighted vs farsighted: nearsightedness risks retinal tears and night vision issues, while farsightedness increases the risk of glaucoma.
    8. Eye color and health: brown eyes lower cancer risk but higher cataract risk; light eyes higher cancer risk but lower cataract risk; sudden changes may indicate a condition.
    9. Kayser-Fleischer rings: golden-brown rings around the iris suggest copper buildup from Wilson disease, treatable with chelation therapy.
    10. Corneal arcus: gray/white ring around the iris indicates cholesterol buildup, normal with aging but concerning in younger individuals, signaling hypercholesterolemia or artery narrowing.
    11. Limbal rings: dark rings around the iris are generally aesthetic and not health-related.
    12. Red desaturation test: a difference in red color perception between eyes may indicate optic nerve or retinal issues.
    13. Eye twitching: often linked to stress, sleep deprivation, or caffeine; persistent twitching or muscle involvement requires medical attention.
    14. Pupillary reflex: pupil constriction in light; abnormal responses suggest trauma, overdose, or poisoning.
    15. Cataracts: lens cloudiness due to age, UV exposure, smoking, diabetes, or prednisone; also occurs sometimes in youth due to conditions like diabetes.
    16. Yellow spots (pinguecula and pterygium): sun damage, wind, and dust exposure cause yellow spots; protect with sunglasses to prevent progression impacting vision.
    17. Dark spots in the eye: includes freckles, moles (nevi), and melanoma; changes require medical evaluation.
    18. Hypnotic induction profile: eye roll test assesses susceptibility to hypnosis.
    19. Floaters: normal clumps in the eye; sudden increases, flashes, or curtain-like effects may signal retinal detachment.
    20. Retinal detachment: caused by aging-related vitreous shrinkage; treated with lasers, gas bubbles, or retinal buckles.
    21. Macular degeneration (Amsler grid test): wavy, fuzzy lines or missing vision spots may indicate this condition.
    22. Giant cell arteritis: no, that’s not a typo: rather it is about blood vessel inflammation that can cause blindness; treated with prednisone, symptoms include headaches and vision changes.
    23. Near point of convergence: focus test to detect convergence issues common with excessive screen time.
    24. Blepharitis: eyelid inflammation causing itchiness, burning, or flaky skin; treated with hygiene, antibiotics, or tea tree oil.
    25. Proptosis (Graves’ disease): bulging eyes due to hyperthyroidism; treatable with medications, radiation, or surgery.
    26. Ptosis (droopy eyelids): indicates myasthenia gravis, temporarily improved with the ice pack test.
    27. Night vision issues: caused by retinal problems or high myopia, not typically vitamin A deficiency in developed countries.
    28. Dry eyes: caused by screen time, smoking, medications, or autoimmune diseases; managed with lubricating drops, reduced screen time, and adjustments.
    29. Watery eyes: caused by irritation or blocked tear ducts; treated with lubricating drops or surgery.
    30. Retinoblastoma: rare childhood cancer detectable through flash photography showing one white pupil; early detection enables treatment.

    For more on all of these plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like:

    What Your Hands Can Tell You About Your Health

    Take care!

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  • Procrastination, and how to pay off the to-do list debt

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    Procrastination, and how pay off the to-do list debt

    Sometimes we procrastinate because we feel overwhelmed by the mountain of things we are supposed to be doing. If you look at your to-do list and it shows 60 overdue items, it’s little wonder if you want to bury your head in the sand!

    “What difference does it make if I do one of these things now; I will still have 59 which feels as bad as having 60”

    So, treat it like you might a financial debt, and make a repayment plan. Now, instead of 60 overdue items today, you have 1/day for the next 60 days, or 2/day for the next 30 days, or 3/day for the next 20 days, etc. Obviously, you may need to work out whether some are greater temporal priorities and if so, bump those to the top of the list. But don’t sweat the minutiae; your list doesn’t have to be perfectly ordered, just broadly have more urgent things to the top and less urgent things to the bottom.

    Note: this repayment plan means having set repayment dates.

    Up front, sit down and assign each item a specific calendar date on which you will do that thing.

    This is not a deadline! It is your schedule. You’ll not try to do it sooner, and you won’t postpone it for later. You will just do that item on that date.

    A productivity app like ToDoist can help with this, but paper is fine too.

    What’s important here, psychologically, is that each day you’re looking not at 60 things and doing the top item; you’re just looking at today’s item (only!) and doing it.

    Debt Reduction/Cancellation

    Much like you might manage a financial debt, you can also look to see if any of your debts could be reduced or cancelled.

    We wrote previously about the “Getting Things Done” system. It’s a very good system if you want to do that; if not, no worries, but you might at least want to borrow this one idea….

    Sort your items into:

    Do / Defer / Delegate / Ditch

    • Do: if it can be done in under 2 minutes, do it now.
    • Defer: defer the item to a specific calendar date (per the repayment plan idea we just talked about)
    • Delegate: could this item be done by someone else? Get it off your plate if you reasonably can.
    • Ditch: sometimes, it’s ok to realize “you know what, this isn’t that important to me anymore” and scratch it from the list.

    As a last resort, consider declaring bankruptcy

    Towards the end of the dot-com boom, there was a fellow who unintentionally got his 5 minutes of viral fame for “declaring email bankruptcy”.

    Basically, he publicly declared that his email backlog had got so far out of hand that he would now not reply to emails from before the declaration.

    He pledged to keep on top of new emails only from that point onwards; a fresh start.

    We can’t comment on whether he then did, but if you need a fresh start, that can be one way to get it!

    In closing…

    Procrastination is not usually a matter of laziness, it’s usually a matter of overwhelm. Hopefully the above approach will help reframe things, and make things more manageable.

    Sometimes procrastination is a matter of perfectionism, and not starting on tasks because we worry we won’t do them well enough, and so we get stuck in a pseudo-preparation rut. If that’s the case, our previous main feature on perfectionism may help:

    Perfectionism, And How To Make Yours Work For You

    Don’t Forget…

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