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Berberine and goldenseal supplements reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Summary

  • What is berberine? Berberine is a yellow-colored compound found in goldenseal root. As a supplement, it is typically sold in the form of berberine HCl (which is 90% berberine) in capsules or tablets containing hundreds of milligrams. Goldenseal root powder or extract supplements generally provide less than 30 mg of berberine per serving (See What It Is and ConsumerTips™). Use the Results table to compare the amounts of berberine we found in supplements.
  • What do berberine and goldenseal do? Berberine appears to be effective in reducing blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome, and improvements in cholesterol levels and even body composition have been noted, although higher quality studies are needed to confirm these effects. Preliminary evidence suggests that berberine may be of benefit with certain arrhythmias and congestive heart failure. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of goldenseal root powder or extract in treating or preventing any condition (See What It Does).
  • How much berberine should I take? Berberine is typically taken as 500 mg of its hydrochloride or sulfate forms two to three times daily. There is no established dose for goldenseal (See Dosage).
  • Best choice for berberine supplements? Be careful! Three-quarters of the goldenseal supplements selected for testing in this Review failed to pass testing — one contained no detectable berberine! Berberine supplements fared better, but one contained only 78% of the amount it listed and it was not properly labeled (See What CL Found). Among products that were Approved, see our Top Picks to find those that provide berberine at much lower cost than others.
  • Safety and side effects of berberine and goldenseal: Berberine can increase bilirubin levels and should not be taken by women who are pregnant or nursing or by young children. It may affect blood sugar levels and blood pressure. It can interfere with the activity of many drugs. Because it contains berberine, goldenseal carries the same cautions. For more details, see Concerns and Cautions.

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Alphabetical list of berberine and goldenseal supplements compared in this review

View Larger Image 5996_small_5996_small_AmazingFormulas-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Amazing Formulas Berberine

View Larger Image 6002_small_6002_small_Bluebonnet-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Bluebonnet Goldenseal Root Extract

View Larger Image 5997_small_5997_small_DrWhitaker-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Dr. Whitaker Berberine 500 mg

View Larger Image 5998_small_5998_small_DrWhitaker-Gold-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Dr. Whitaker Berberine GlucoGold

View Larger Image 6008_small_6008_small_EcleticInstitute-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Eclectic Institute Goldenseal Root

View Larger Image 6003_small_6003_small_GNC-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

GNC Herbal Plus Goldenseal Root Extract

View Larger Image 6005_small_6005_small_HerbPharm-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Herb Pharm Goldenseal

View Larger Image 5999_small_5999_small_NutriCology-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

NutriCology TriBiotics

View Larger Image 6000_small_6000_small_OnlyNatural-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Only Natural Berberine

View Larger Image 6009_small_6009_small_Organika-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Organika Goldenseal

View Larger Image 6006_small_6006_small_PipingRock-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

PipingRock.com Goldenseal Root

View Larger Image 6007_small_6007_small_SpringValley-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Spring Valley [Walmart] Goldenseal

View Larger Image 6001_small_6001_small_ThorneResearch-Berberine-Small-2017.jpg

Thorne Research Berberine-500

You must be a ConsumerLab.com member to get the full test results along with ConsumerLab.com's Top Picks. You'll get results for 13 supplements: 10 selected by ConsumerLab.com and three that passed the same testing in our voluntary Quality Certification Program. You'll get the following information about berberine and goldenseal supplements in this comprehensive review:
  • Which supplements passed or failed testing - and an easy way to tell which are fake!  
  • Which berberine and goldenseal supplements were Approved for their quality, offer the best value, and are CL's Top Picks
  • What berberine and goldenseal can and cannot do for your health
  • How goldenseal root powder differs from goldenseal root extract
  • The dose of berberine for specific uses
  • What to look for on product labels and how to take berberine and goldenseal supplements
  • Cautions, side effects, and drug interactions with berberine and goldenseal

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Additional Information
Tested through CL's Quality Certification Program prior to, or after initial posting of this Product Review.