BERBERINE
Prime Berberine 1200
- Supports healthy blood sugar levels*
- Promotes healthy cholesterol balance*
- Supports healthy glucose metabolism*
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Why 1,200 mg, split in two.
Berberine has mostly been studied in divided doses through the day, not one large capsule. We built the serving around that.
The pilot trial most often cited, by Yin and colleagues in Metabolism (2008), gave berberine as 0.5 g three times a day, 1,500 mg per day, for three months to 36 adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
Prime Berberine 1200 is also taken in divided doses: two capsules of 600 mg each, 1,200 mg a day. The label says two capsules daily; many people take them with meals, and the serving can be split, one with an earlier meal and one with a later meal, if you prefer a divided dose.
Research findings are about berberine in general, not a claim about this product. The trial studied adults with type 2 diabetes under medical care; it did not test Prime Berberine 1200.
Yin J, Xing H, Ye J. Efficacy of berberine in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism. 2008;57(5):712-717. PMID 18442638 · doi 10.1016/j.metabol.2008.01.013
Daily totals shown for comparison of format only. A higher or lower amount is not a claim of a greater or lesser effect.
Three ingredients. Every amount on the label.
Many berberine products wrap the active in a "blend" and leave out the numbers. This label shows the exact amount of each of the three ingredients.
Servings Per Container: 30
Berberine HCl · 1,200 mg
Berberine hydrochloride, specified at 97% purity or higher by HPLC. 600 mg in each capsule, 1,200 mg per two-capsule serving.
Ceylon cinnamon · 100 mg
Cinnamomum verum, the species known as true cinnamon, named on the label by species. Chosen for its coumarin profile (next section).
Chromium · 200 mcg (571% DV)
As chromium picolinate. Chromium is an essential trace mineral involved in how the body uses glucose.* Background: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Chromium fact sheet.
No proprietary blend. No allergens.
Vegetarian HPMC capsule. Four listed excipients, all on the panel.
Ceylon cinnamon, the low-coumarin kind.
Cinnamon sold simply as "cinnamon" is usually cassia. We name the species on the label: Cinnamomum verum.
Blahová J, Svobodová Z. Assessment of coumarin levels in ground cinnamon available in the Czech retail market. ScientificWorldJournal. 2012;2012:263851. PMID 22761548 · doi 10.1100/2012/263851
Three species sold as cinnamon in the U.S. (C. cassia, C. loureiroi and C. burmannii) are cassia. Cinnamomum verum is the one called true, or Ceylon, cinnamon. The main chemical difference is coumarin, a naturally occurring flavor compound.
When researchers at the University of Mississippi analyzed authenticated bark, C. verum contained only traces of coumarin while all three cassia species contained substantial amounts. Coumarin was found in every locally bought cinnamon, cinnamon-flavored food and cinnamon supplement they tested, and the chemical profiles pointed to Indonesian cassia.
In the U.S., coumarin added as a flavoring is not permitted in food; coumarin naturally present in cinnamon is not regulated. For an ingredient you take every day, we would rather specify the species with the lowest coumarin content, and say so on the label.
Wang YH, Avula B, Nanayakkara NP, Zhao J, Khan IA. Cassia cinnamon as a source of coumarin in cinnamon-flavored food and food supplements in the United States. J Agric Food Chem. 2013;61(18):4470-4476. PMID 23627682 · doi 10.1021/jf4005862. Cassia stick samples elsewhere ranged from below detection to about 10,000 mg/kg: Woehrlin F et al. J Agric Food Chem. 2010;58(19):10568-10575. PMID 20853872.
Made in the USA. Tested lot by lot.
Quality is a document, not an adjective. Here is what stands behind each bottle.
Illustrative imageU.S. cGMP manufacturing
Manufactured in a U.S. facility operating under cGMP, 21 CFR Part 111. (FDA registration is not FDA approval.)
Michigan, USA. The label reads: Manufactured in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.
Every lot tested
The facility tests each lot for potency, microbes and heavy metals. A certificate of analysis accompanies each release.
Certificate of analysis available on request.
Purity specification
Berberine HCl is specified at 97% purity or higher, measured by HPLC.
The capsule
Vegetarian HPMC capsules. Contains no allergens. Other ingredients: hypromellose (vegetable capsule), microcrystalline cellulose, silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate.
How to take it, and who should not.
Many people take them with meals. The two-capsule serving can be split, one with an earlier meal and one with a later meal, if you prefer.
Keep tightly closed in a cool, dry place.
Talk to your doctor before use if you take any prescription medication (berberine can interact with some medicines, including diabetes medication) or have a health condition.
What the studies say, and what they do not.
Three publications people cite most about berberine, summarized plainly. Research findings are about berberine in general, not a claim about this product.
Yin, Xing & Ye · Metabolism
Study A: 36 adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, randomized to berberine or metformin at 0.5 g three times a day for 3 months. Study B: 48 adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes added berberine for 3 months.
34.5% of patients reported transient gastrointestinal effects during the trial.
PMID 18442638 · doi 10.1016/j.metabol.2008.01.013
Dong et al. · Evid Based Complement Alternat Med
14 randomized trials, 1,068 participants with type 2 diabetes, comparing berberine with lifestyle change, placebo or oral medication.
The authors rated methodological quality as generally low and wrote that the evidence should be interpreted carefully because of small samples, few trials and unidentified risks of bias.
PMID 23118793 · doi 10.1155/2012/591654
Asbaghi et al. · Clin Nutr ESPEN
12 randomized controlled trials of berberine supplementation. Pooled difference in body weight versus comparator: −2.07 kg (95% CI −3.09 to −1.05); BMI −0.47 kg/m². No effect on liver enzymes ALT and AST.
The authors describe the change as moderate.
PMID 32690176 · doi 10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.04.010
Straight answers.
When will Prime Berberine 1200 be available?
This winter. We are not giving a date until the first lot has cleared testing. Leave your email above and we will send one message when it is in stock.
Is this the same as the previous Prime Berberine?
No. This is a new formula: 60 vegetarian capsules, 1,200 mg of berberine HCl per two-capsule serving, with 100 mg Ceylon cinnamon and 200 mcg chromium. It replaces our previous 30-capsule Prime Berberine, which is sold out.
Can I take it with my medication?
Ask your doctor first. Berberine can interact with some medicines, including diabetes medication. If you take any prescription medication or have a health condition, talk to your doctor before use. Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
What does "supports healthy blood sugar levels*" mean?
It is a structure/function statement about support for normal function, not a drug claim. Prime Berberine 1200 is a dietary supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The published trials studied berberine in adults with type 2 diabetes under medical care and did not test this product.
What if it is not right for me?
You are covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee. Email us within 30 days of your order. Items must be unused and in their original packaging; once the return is received and inspected, we refund the product price. Return shipping is the customer's responsibility.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. BoneScience does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Research cited on this page describes berberine, cinnamon or chromium in general and is not a claim about this product. "FDA-registered" refers to facility registration and is not FDA approval or endorsement. Prime Berberine 1200 is not yet available; pricing and availability will be announced.