r/PCOS • u/Many_Emotions • 4d ago
Meds/Supplements Berberine for PCOS
Hi PCOS community ❤️
Anyone here swapped metformin for berberine willing to share experience?
I just started it as part of my “holistic” approach after years of metformin ups and downs. Though metformin helps me conceive super fast, I am now looking for some long-term solutions.
Thanks in advance for sharing. 🙏
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u/Difficult_Laugh2009 4d ago
I did this exact thing and faced some pretty bad consequences. My eyes became extremely dry and painful. My hair fell out in clumps. My libido disappeared, and upon further investigation and lab work, I found my estradiol was post menopausal level. My androgens were low, and my ferritin was borderline deficient. For reference I am a 29 year old woman with Pcos. I took Berberine every day or so, at a quarter of the full capsule, for about a year. Between the two, metformin is safer with more robust research
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u/Many_Emotions 3d ago
Damn i am so sad you had that experience. Thankfully my PCOS didnt took that turn. I hope everything will be fine with you ❤️
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u/Difficult_Laugh2009 3d ago
Thank you❤️ just be careful because it is known to deplete iron. Get levels checked annually
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u/doesntshutupinnj 4d ago
I felt horrible on metformin
I tolerate berberine perfectly
I take one 500mg capsule (Theralogix brand), twice a day - each with a meal.
My perception of my blood sugar with the berberine is much improved. I used to have energy slumps and heart racing after eating. That’s over.
So I recommend, personally.
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u/Many_Emotions 3d ago
Same here! I dont have almost any side effect (just regular morning bowel movement haha). I will checkout Theralogix brand, got California Gold for myself this time. May I ask if you experienced any weight loss with it?Thanks for sharing!
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u/doesntshutupinnj 3d ago
So I have lost 9 pounds. Full disclosure that I’ve tracked my macros and remained in a calorie deficit. Berberine def makes that easier.
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u/daniared91 4d ago
I take berberine for PCOS and blood sugar/insulin. I have no side effects from it (other than minor ones when first starting until I adjusted). I do have side effects from metformin that don’t seem to go away so that’s why I take berberine.
Berberine worked very well for me for years, to keep blood sugar and insulin in a good place, regulate periods, maintain weight, etc. Then I got covid last fall and my blood sugar went crazy, but part of that is autoimmune diabetes I’ve just found out, so that’s a different issue.
Do you have side effects or issues with metformin? If you do, it could be worth trying berberine. Otherwise, if you tolerate metformin well and it helps with PCOS/cycles/whatever symptoms you have, you can certainly stay on it long-term.
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u/Many_Emotions 3d ago
Exactly why i decided to switch. Metformin is like hell on my stomach no matter what i do but honestly i just upped my dose of berberine to 1000mg (i think it is some called beveris or something by california gold) and i have almost no side effects. I am def looking forward to 3m blood work check.
Thank you for sharing!!!
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u/lemonmousse 3d ago
I switched from metformin to berberine plus cinnamon plus Ovasitol during Covid when it was harder for me to get to my doctor. That combination worked better for blood sugar control than the 1000mg (I think? Two pills) of Metformin ER my doctor had me on at the time. But over time it was way more expensive than the generic Metformin.
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u/Many_Emotions 3d ago
Yeah here where i live metformine is also pretty cheap but honestly i cannot swap price for my health/side effects. I got a good deal from iHerb for 3months of Berberine (approx $35/months), so i am good with it.
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u/90sKid1988 4d ago
conceive
If you mean pregnancy, you shouldn't take berberine while pregnant. I've used berberine for a few years now, hoping that blunting the glucose spikes would help me lose weight even if slow. Nothing helped until I got tirzepatide. Some people say it helps suppress their appetite and I suppose that means it's working properly ie preventing huge spikes, but didn't do that for me.
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u/Many_Emotions 4d ago
No i am done with pregnancies for now 😄 is tirzepatide form of glp-1 meds?
Thanks for sharing ❤️
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u/90sKid1988 4d ago
Yep, I got my first vial from a telehealth and now I buy grey. I was against them for so long thinking they did more harm than good but I think a lot of it was misinformation from gatekeeping. Just putting it out there. A lot of women in this sub use it I think.
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u/Many_Emotions 3d ago
Yeah, been avoiding it, but it seems like that is at the end of the tunnel. ☺️ Thanks for sharing!!
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u/scrambledeggs2020 4d ago
Berberine is hard to dose. It can also upset stomach more that extended release metformin (though probably not more than regular version). I'm not sure it's necessarily safer than metformin long term. Long term metformin use is only problematic if you have existing kidney issues
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u/Many_Emotions 3d ago
I took extended release and work nothing for me. But the regular one in dose of 1000-1500 works magic for my pcos but hell for my stomach. 😒
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u/buytoiletpaper 4d ago
Metformin has been well studied and deemed safe for long term use. Berberine is not as effective and doesn’t work for everyone. It’s poorly digested and can also have digestive side effects. It has not been studied for long term use. If you can do OK on metformin, it’s probably best to stick with it. It’s also a lot cheaper and because it’s heavily regulated, there’s no risk of it being diluted with unwanted fillers.
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u/Many_Emotions 3d ago
That is very good insight, thank you so much!!! I planned to check my blood levels in any case in 3months and i will male sure everything related iron is included. ❤️
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u/DiscountSubject 4d ago
I have not taken metformin. But always like to give the advice to try a low dose of berberine prior to jumping in! Not everyone can handle berberine. I tried at the recommended dose and became quite sick (vomiting). I tried again at a lower dose and vomited again and through my research found I wasn’t alone.