Pre-diabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are elevated (fasting blood sugar between 100 - 125 and A1C between 5.7 - 6.4) — but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. It’s a critical warning sign that your body is becoming less effective at regulating blood sugar, and without action, many people will develop full-blown diabetes within a few years.
According to the CDC, over 96 million Americans have pre-diabetes—and more than 80% don’t even know it. The good news? With the right steps, pre-diabetes can often be reversed.
Clinical studies show that taking action early can significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)—a major NIH-funded study—participants who adopted healthy habits such as improved diet and regular exercise reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58%, and by 71% for those over age 60. If you are not getting regular checkups, the first step is to make sure you get your fasting blood sugar and A1C tested.
High cholesterol levels is another common problem that comes with aging. American Heart Association considers Total Cholesterol less than 200, LDL less than 100 and HDL above 40 for men and 50 for women to be normal. Statins, the most popular option to control Cholesterol, can have many negative side effects, prompting many doctors not to prescribe medication if you are only borderline high. Dietary adjustments and exercise is obviously a sound recommendation. In addition, natural supplements can be a good option especially before your levels go too out of control.
While lifestyle changes are the foundation of pre-diabetes management, natural supplements like berberine can provide additional support in improving blood sugar control and cholesterol.
Berberine is a compound extracted from plants like barberry and has been used for centuries in traditional medicine. Modern science is now catching up, and the evidence is compelling.
A 2008 study published in the journal Metabolism found that berberine was as effective as metformin, the leading pharmaceutical for type 2 diabetes, in lowering blood sugar and improving insulin sensitivity. The study found a reduction of fasting blood sugar by upto 10.6 and A1C by upto 9.5%.
According to a clinical trial published in 2004, Berberine reduced total cholesterol by 29%, triglycerides by 35% and LDL-cholesterol by 25% over a period of 3 months - comparable to some commonly used Statins without any of those side-effects.
Berberine may help:
Improve how your body uses insulin
Lower fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels
Support healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels
Assist in weight management as part of a healthy lifestyle
Berberine works at the cellular level to activate AMPK, a metabolic "master switch" that helps regulate glucose and fat metabolism. It’s one of the few natural compounds that has been shown in human trials to impact blood sugar and cholesterol as effectively as some prescription medications.
My fasting blood sugar was constantly above 100 and my A1C reached 5.9 before I started taking Berberine. The impact on fasting blood sugar (which you can measure yourself) was quite drastic, a reduction from 100+ to 90 overnight! My A1C is also well under control now.
If you’ve been told you have pre-diabetes—or you're concerned about your sugar or cholesterol levels—don’t wait. Small changes today can have a life-changing impact tomorrow. In addition to dietary changes and a regular exercise regimen, taking Berberine may help you stay ahead of diabetes and support your long-term health naturally. Always speak to your doctor and check if any supplements you take have known interactions with medications you may already be taking.
The usual problem with Supplements is that you can never be 100% certain of the quality you are getting. This is even more so when you order from Amazon, as I've found many copy cat stores open up that sell dubious goods including supplements. I look at a few things when I order supplements, including GMP certification, made in USA, reputed estalishment and reviews etc. Visit this link to order the Berberine brand I use (originally bought from Costco). The phytosome addition boosts absorption and helps GI track tolerance.