4 replies to this topic

[Gediminas Jesinas]

Hello. Want to start taking berberine probably I plan to use dried barberry berries as source of it. Berberine despite it's great usefulness has poor bioavailability and doesn't dissolve neither in water/fat, ethanol hovewer can. I read that silymarin which is also good antioxidant with antiaging properties can help absorb berberine so I was thinking of consuming milk thistle seeds. But I'm not what dosage/ratio of barberries and milk thistle seed should be consumed. Sodium caprate in coconut oil also can increase bioavailability. In pharmacy supplements berberine is sold in berberine hydrochloride form, so maybe that best way to absorb into body?

[Oakman]

From my research, the ratio berberine to silymarin ratio is 4:1 or 500 mg / 125 mgs. I haven't used any of the other ingredients you mention.

[Gediminas Jesinas]

Thanks. I wrote mistake, berberine is extracted from bark not berries. What are best natural source of it or better to stick to HCL berberine?

[Oakman]

It's easiest to stick to purified supplements as you know what you are taking.

[Gediminas Jesinas]

For reliability yes, for cost and other benefits of natural material not so good choice. I really can order large amounts of plant material which besides one chemical of interests contains whole spectrum of different antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Plus barberry grows in my country so I can collect it for free. Just can't find information on concentration of it various barberry bush parts, would be great to know that berries and leaves contains berbertine, not to kill bushes.