Why Berberine Earned a Place in My Daily Supplement Stack

When people ask me about supplements, I always come back to one foundational principle: if it doesn’t meaningfully improve metabolic health, it probably doesn’t belong in my routine. That’s exactly why berberine has earned a permanent place in my supplement stack.

Berberine is not a “trend” supplement. It’s a plant-derived compound with a long history of use in traditional medicine and a robust body of modern research demonstrating benefits for glucose regulation, insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and mitochondrial function. These are not side issues; they sit at the very center of aging, cognitive decline, and chronic disease.

One of the key reasons I value berberine is that it works at the level of cellular signaling. Berberine, like the diabetes medicine metformin, and exercise, for that matter, activates AMPK, often described as the body’s metabolic master switch. AMPK shifts cells away from storage and excess growth and toward efficiency, repair, and resilience. Clinically, that translates into better glucose handling, reduced insulin resistance, and improved metabolic flexibility. For the brain, this is critical, as neurons are extraordinarily sensitive to metabolic dysfunction, and restoring energy balance is a core brain-protective strategy as I describe in Brain Defenders.

In terms of dosing, most of the research supports a total daily dose of around 800-1000mg typically divided into two doses taken with meals. Berberine has a relatively short half-life, which is why divided dosing tends to work better than taking it all at once. Many people notice improved post-meal glucose control when it’s taken just before or with food.

Berberine also favorably influences lipid metabolism, often lowering triglycerides and LDL cholesterol while improving markers of insulin sensitivity. Importantly, I don’t view these changes as “number chasing.” Elevated triglycerides and insulin resistance are signals of deeper metabolic distress, and berberine helps calm that underlying physiology.

Another reason it’s in my stack is its effect on the gut microbiome. Berberine appears to suppress harmful microbes while supporting a healthier microbial ecosystem, indirectly reinforcing the gut-brain axis and reducing inflammatory signaling.

When buying a berberine product, quality matters. I look for berberine HCl, standardized dosing (usually 500 mg per capsule), and, ideally these days, third-party testing for purity and heavy metals. I also avoid unnecessary fillers and proprietary blends that obscure actual dosage. Because berberine can interact with certain medications, especially glucose-lowering drugs, this is always a conversation worth having with a knowledgeable healthcare provider.

Berberine isn’t a shortcut. It’s a strategic tool, one that works with human biology to support metabolic health, reduce inflammation, and help defend the brain over a lifetime.