Blood Glucose Level (BGL)
The amount of glucose dissolved in human blood is termed human blood glucose level (BGL).
The amount of glucose concentration in the blood depends on the weight of the body.
For a person with 70 kg of body weight, the amount of glucose that is dissolved in his blood at all times is 4 grams.
For the normal homeostasis of the human body, the amount of glucose in the blood should be highly regulated.
The body produces insulin for the regulation of normal BGL levels and to maintain homeostasis in the body.
Insulin is produced by the pancreas in the body, and it helps the body cells take up glucose from the blood and maintain its normal levels in the blood as well as its utilization by cells to produce energy and use it for their survival.
If there is any problem in the production of insulin or its functioning, then this can lead to disorders due to an imbalance of body homeostasis that result from high or low BGL level [1].
Hyperglycemia
If in the body of a person, not enough insulin is produced, more than the normal amount of insulin is produced, or insulin is not performing its normal function, these conditions can lead to several blood sugar level disorders.
If the blood sugar level is disturbed, two conditions can result.
When the blood sugar level (BGL) exceeds the usual range, hyperglycemia ensues.
On the other hand, the condition is known as hypoglycemia if the BGL continues to be below the usual range [2].
Some of the common blood disorders are discussed here.
Hyperglycemia
The higher levels of sugar in the blood of a person as compared to the normal range is called hyperglycemia which is a severe and one of the most common disorders nowadays.
If this disorder becomes severe and is not treated properly, it can also lead to other chronic disorders including cardiovascular problems and kidney diseases.
The common symptoms are:
Fatigue
Increased thirst
Blurry vision
Excessive urination
Hypoglycemia
If the levels of glucose remain lower than the normal values, this condition is called hypoglycemia.
It can occur if all the glucose from the blood is taken up by cells due to excessive insulin production.
This is also one of the severe disorders and if it is not treated properly, it can lead to seizures and faintness as well.
The common symptoms that result when blood glucose levels are lower include:
Sweating
Dizziness
Confusion
Shakiness
Diabetes
It is a chronic condition that is very common throughout the world and results from abnormal blood sugar levels in the body.
It affects millions of people throughout the world.
It might be T1D, which develops when the body's immune system decimates the pancreatic beta cells and insufficient insulin is generated, causing all the sugar to build up in the blood.
However, it can also be type 2 diabetes which mostly results from the improper lifestyle of a person and is more common in obese people.
This can be treated by medication and a healthy lifestyle.
Insulin Resistance
When the body's cells grow resistant to insulin, that is another form of disorder that might result in an imbalance in the levels of glucose in the blood.
This means that enough insulin is being produced by the pancreas but the cells are not sensitizing it so they can not pick up glucose from the blood.
This can lead to the higher BGL levels in the blood.
As a result, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems may occur in that person.
This condition requires proper treatment.
Metabolic syndrome
A condition involving multiple disorders that can lead to several chronic conditions within the body is called metabolic syndrome and occurs when there is a problem in any of the metabolic pathways in the body.
Metabolic syndrome or conditions can also lead to high blood sugar levels and even diabetes or heart problems [3].
Berberine
The stems, rhizomes, and roots of many different plants contain berberine, a naturally occurring chemical. Due to its many health advantages, it has been utilized for a very long time in traditional medicine, especially in Chinese and Ayurvedic practices.
The ability of berberine to interact with many molecular targets, including receptors, signaling pathways, and enzymes, resulting in a variety of pharmacological effects, is one of its main mechanisms of action [4].
Berberine can improve insulin sensitivity and metabolism of glucose by activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, an essential enzyme involved in cellular energy management.
Berberine accelerates the breakdown of cholesterol by raising the expression of the low-density lipoprotein receptor, which helps remove LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream.
Berberine may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases due to its ability to lower lipid levels [5].
Berberine has also been found to have positive outcomes in reducing the levels of glucose in the blood and treating many blood disorders.
Role of Berberine in Reducing Blood Glucose Levels
Different experimental findings have shown that berberine is an effective compound in treating diabetes and cardiovascular problems in humans by decreasing the BGL levels.
Berberine acts by different mechanisms of action in order to decrease the glucose in the blood.
It has been found that berberine can activate the AMPK enzyme. This enzyme is very effective in stimulating the liver to produce less amount of glucose so that the levels of sugar are decreased in the blood. Moreover, this enzyme also has the capability to help the cells take up more and more glucose from the blood and utilize it for their energy production. This also ultimately reduces blood sugar levels.
Experiments have also shown that berberine can increase the sensitivity of the cells to insulin so that they can take up enough glucose from the blood and result in low blood glucose levels.
One of the studies also suggests that the berberine compound can stimulate the pancreatic cells to secrete more insulin and also improves the function of insulin. This can help in treating many conditions or disorders that result from high blood glucose levels such as diabetes [6].
It was found that this crucial compound reduces the absorption of fats in the digestive tract which results in slow secretion of glucose into the bloodstream. This also helps in reducing blood sugar levels.
Based on these mechanisms, it can be concluded that berberine is one of the best natural compounds for treating blood glucose disorders by reducing levels of sugar in the blood [7].
Preclinical and Clinical Trials Data
Clinical studies have been performed to check the effectiveness of berberine in reducing blood sugar levels.
Preclinical studies done on rats as animal models have shown that this compound can significantly reduce the amount of sugar in the blood and can act by different processes.
Two groups of rats with type 2 diabetes were split in one of the preclinical trials. The other group received berberine for two weeks while the first group received a placebo control. According to the findings, those who received berberine experienced significantly lower blood sugar levels than those in the control group who did not get any berberine treatment [8].
Another study performed on rats had shown that the sensitivity of insulin by body cells was greatly increased in these animals which resulted in reduced blood sugar as most of it was taken up by cells.
Similarly, in order to check the safety and efficacy of this crucial compound in humans, trials were performed on human patients with blood glucose level disorders.
A clinical trial study was performed on 116 human patients with T2DM. These were given berberine compound and some patients were given a placebo as a control. They were treated for three months and then the results were analyzed. The findings show that the patients treated with berberine had a significant reduction in the amount of sugar in their blood as compared to the patients who were given a placebo [9].
Another clinical trial study on 241 patients with T2DM, and they were also given berberine compound randomly for three months. Some patients were also given a placebo as a control. The results had shown that berberine reduced the blood glucose level in these patients and also it has no side effects in humans [10].
Another clinical study compared the safety and effectiveness of berberine compound with a commonly used diabetes medication, metformin. This study was performed on 116 diabetic patients who were randomly given either metformin or the berberine compound. Results show that both medications were significant equally in decreasing the levels of glucose in these patients. However, as far as side effects are concerned, it was found that berberine showed the least side effects as compared to metformin. So, this study has proven the safety of the berberine compound [11].
Hence, from these preclinical and clinical studies, we can conclude that berberine is a safer and most effective natural medicine for reducing blood sugar levels and treating diabetes and cardiac problems.
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