berberine · Blood sugar & Weight Loss · Aug 10, 2022

Does Berberine Break a Fast? Intermittent Fasting, Weight Loss and Berberine

Food gives us energy, but not all food is equally beneficial for our bodies.

When we are unwell, our bodies aren't functioning as they should, and we tend to pay close attention to what we consume. Once we feel well again, we may fall back into the habit of eating whatever is convenient, at whatever time is convenient.

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Sometimes, it is better to allow some time without food, giving our bodies time to use up the sugar and fats already present. Eating during a narrow interval every day is called intermittent fasting.

Caloric restriction is a key component of intermittent fasting and contributes to improved metabolic health by supporting insulin sensitivity, autophagy, and cellular processes associated with longevity.

Humans have been intermittently fasting for thousands of years. While it might not have been called that, it was a necessity.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of a low-carb diet, keto and carnivore diets, intermittent fasting, blood sugar regulation, and the benefits of Berberine when intermittent fasting.

Berberine is a great supplement that can help with weight loss, but also to simply support overall health in individuals that don't aim to lose weight. Why? Because maintaining optimal blood sugar levels is crucial for our health and longevity.

We take a look at why, in this blog post.

Intermittent fasting: what is intermittent fasting, how does it work, and what are the benefits?

Intermittent fasting is a narrow window when food is consumed. For example, Dr Elena Seranova (the founder of NMN Bio) consumes calories between 12 noon and 4 pm.

Her first meal is rich in protein, activating the mTOR pathway, and the second meal is supplemented with Berberine, which helps the AMPK pathway.

Fasting allows for autophagy to occur in the liver and other tissues, depending on the duration of your fast.

The concept of intermittent fasting has been around for a long time. It was sometimes necessary, but is also common in cultural traditions and religious beliefs.

One of the main concepts behind intermittent fasting is autophagy. Fasting means refraining from eating and sometimes drinking.

In comparison, intermittent fasting means going through a timing process and not eating between these times. It is a diet that regulates when you eat, rather than what you eat.

This type of diet has become popular due to research showing that it could be a way of controlling weight and showing life extension benefits in mice studies.

Before televisions and phones, it was easier to maintain a healthy weight, and we wouldn't constantly be snacking.

The neuroscientist Dr Mark Mattson at Stanford University has been studying intermittent fasting for 25 years. His research identifies preventative and therapeutic remedies targeting neurodegenerative disorders by providing mice models with restricted diets.

In these studies, a control group is used to compare the effects of intermittent fasting against a habitual diet. He claims that our bodies can function well without consuming food for many hours or days.

Not consuming food constantly is how humans survived before they learnt to farm. Intermittent fasting uses fat deposits once sugar stores from the last meal have been used.

The change from burning glucose to fats is referred to as metabolic switching. So if you happen to be thinking of reaching for a snack while reading this article, think again.

You can track your intermittent fasting now with the NMN Bio App. Download and start tracking.

Sirtuins and the sugar balancing Berberine

Sirtuins are a type of enzyme needed for various functions in the cell.

They are necessary for regulating gene expression, controlling DNA repair, regulating metabolism, controlling stress response, and mitochondrial production.

Sirtuins' activity is dependent on NAD+ (which you can get from taking NMN supplements, read more here).

The malfunction of Sirtuin's expression can cause cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular disease due to tissue degeneration.

Sirtuin 1 is one of the most researched groups of Sirtuin enzymes. It is needed to regulate metabolic pathways, and its activation could be used as a treatment for metabolism disorders. It is also associated with insulin sensitivity.

The ability to activate Sirtuins is of interest to researchers because of novel compounds that could activate Sirtuin function and show beneficial effects on human health.

These include Quercetin and Berberine, which can be naturally found in some fruits and vegetables or taken as supplements.

Various studies have shown that Berberine, a non-polyphenolic substance, has protective properties. These include anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, heart tissue-protective, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic properties.

The precise mechanism by which berberine works is still being studied. But we already know that Berberine activates AMPK, a master regulator of autophagy in the body and the self-cleaning mechanism of the cell.

Berberine's effects extend to regulating hepatic steatosis, improving energy metabolism, promoting autophagy, and supporting weight loss, partly through its influence on molecular pathways such as SIRT1 and FGF21.

Berberine also has antimicrobial properties and can alter gut microbiota, which may contribute to its benefits for weight management, insulin regulation, and appetite suppression.

Losing weight with minimal exercise: how does intermittent fasting work?

Studies show that metabolic switching is triggered when eating for around 6 hours and fasting for 18 hours. The metabolic switch is from glucose-based to ketone-based energy.

This diet increases stress resistance and longevity while decreasing the possibility of diseases like cancer and obesity.

Carbohydrates are molecules in every living thing and are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Carbohydrates are a source of energy in our diets, and are classified into either simple or complex ones.

Simple carbs are sugar molecules, for example glucose, fructose, or sucrose, while complex carbs are made up of many molecules of simple carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates provide short-lived energy, while complex carbohydrates are broken down into simpler energy molecules, releasing them slowly.

Protein comprises amino acids with carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur as their building blocks. It makes up muscle mass and various structures in the body.

Consumed proteins are broken down into smaller amino acids using enzymes. Protein has a much smaller effect on blood sugar levels than carbohydrates and occurs over a few hours in a glucogenesis process.

Because converting protein to glucose is much slower, it is easier to control. Some high-protein foods include eggs, almonds, chicken, fish, meat, cottage cheese, and legumes.

Fats are made up of fatty acids and glycerol, with a long chain of carbons. There are two main types: saturated and unsaturated fats. The latter are usually liquid at room temperature and are recommended over saturated fats.

Fats are digested slower than carbohydrates and protein. When eaten in modest amounts, they have a minor impact on glucose levels.

Intermittent fasting works by switching from using sugar from your last meal for energy to using up fat deposits.

Figure 1 below shows what happens to blood sugar levels when consuming different macronutrients as time progresses. As you can see, carbohydrates are the first to cause a spike in blood sugar levels, followed by proteins and fat. They also cause the highest point in sugar levels.

The benefits of intermittent fasting are not limited to losing weight. Studies on humans and animals have shown other advantages, which include:

Improvement of working memory
Improves blood pressure and resting heart rate
Improved endurance and fat loss without muscle loss
Prevention of obesity and diabetes
Improvement of markers of oxidative stress, even when alternate-day fasting
An increase in sirtuin, longevity proteins, and autophagy expression (which declines with age), ensuring our cells are healthy

Findings suggest that intermittent fasting, especially when combined with supplements like berberine, can help shed pounds effectively, improve weight management, and reduce triglycerides, leading to better lipid profiles and metabolic health.

These interventions also support gut health, which is essential for hormonal balance, digestion, and immunity.

Intermittent fasting and the low carbs, high-protein ketogenic diet

A degradation of nutrient sensitivity is one of the hallmarks of ageing. As we grow older, our insulin sensitivity drops, so we must find ways to prevent this from happening.

One of the causes of increased blood sugar and insulin levels is consuming carbohydrates. An alternative diet which is low in carbohydrates and high in good fats and protein can help mitigate these effects.

The ketogenic diet includes eliminating bread, milk, sugar, and rice, and eating foods like avocado, meats, fish, vegetables, and a small proportion of fruits. In high-protein diets, the body switches from using glucose to using ketones for energy.

Switching to a keto diet can be difficult at first. Dr Elena Seranova suggests a gradual shift, eliminating carbohydrates and increasing protein intake.

It is also essential to drink plenty of water, eat foods high in magnesium and potassium, avoid high-intensity exercise (at the start), and consume moderate amounts of fiber. Ketosis is generally considered safe, but it's worth knowing the potential side effects before starting.

At first, levels of cholesterol could increase in the liver, but this effect is reduced with intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting helps lower bad cholesterol and the lipid profile in the liver.

After around 12 hours of fasting, autophagy kicks in. Like the ketogenic diet, you should ease into intermittent fasting.

If you're intrigued about the effects of nutrients on ageing, supplements, reducing stress and physical training to improve longevity, check out this informative and practical online course.

How does Berberine help intermittent fasting?

Berberine is shown to induce autophagy by promoting cell death. Autophagy is a means by which the body clears dead cells while recycling cellular components and allowing new healthy cells to form.

Autophagy begins when the levels of glucose and insulin drop while fasting.

Berberine also increases the sensitivity of insulin by activating AMPK (activated protein kinase), reducing inflammatory responses and reactive oxygen species.

The activation of AMPK is essential as it helps regulate energy and its balance throughout the body. AMPK helps in the coordination of metabolic pathways while also balancing the nutrient supply and demand for energy.

The AMPK pathway is a catabolic-activated pathway where the cell's building blocks are broken down and recycled into amino and fatty acids for other cells to use. The activation of the AMPK pathway increases longevity.

On the other hand, the mTOR pathway is associated with muscle building. The mTOR pathway is activated after a workout when amino acids are consumed.

We don't want this pathway activated all the time, which is where intermittent fasting comes in. Carb cycling is where you can balance activating one pathway and the other to build muscle and increase longevity.

Summary and conclusions

Intermittent fasting is when food is only consumed for a few hours a day.

Intermittent fasting not only helps with losing weight with minimal exercise, it also increases longevity, reduces the possibility of age-related disease and obesity, and improves insulin resistance.

Berberine is a beneficial supplement to take during intermittent fasting because it helps in the process of autophagy and the activation of the AMPK pathway.

You can find out more about the benefits of Berberine here and when to take it.

Weight management is crucial for long-term health outcomes, and combining intermittent fasting with berberine can support sustainable weight loss and metabolic health.

Track your intermittent fasting now with the NMN Bio App.

Disclaimer

Nothing mentioned in this article is considered medical advice. Always consult your doctor before taking any supplements or starting a new exercise regime. Supplements do not replace a healthy diet, exercise and balanced lifestyle.

Intermittent fasting is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those with a history of eating disorders.

Many supplements are marketed as natural but lack rigorous safety and efficacy research, and berberine is among those that require more study.

Supplements are not regulated as strictly as prescription medications, so individuals should consult healthcare providers, especially if they are dissatisfied with or unable to use prescription medications.

Berberine may interact with diabetes drugs like metformin, so it is important to consult a healthcare provider before use.

Introduction

Intermittent fasting and berberine have emerged as two of the most talked-about strategies for those looking to lose weight and improve their overall health.

Intermittent fasting is an approach that involves restricting calorie intake to specific periods, allowing the body to rest and reset between meals.

On the other hand, berberine is a natural compound celebrated for its ability to support metabolic health and regulate blood sugar.

In this article, we'll explore how combining intermittent fasting with berberine supplementation can enhance insulin sensitivity, promote weight loss, and improve blood sugar regulation.

By understanding how berberine works in tandem with fasting, you can make informed choices to support your health, manage your weight, and optimise your metabolism.

Understanding Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and fasting, rather than focusing on what foods you eat.

Popular methods include time-restricted feeding (such as eating only within an 8-hour window each day), alternate-day fasting, and the 5:2 diet, where calorie intake is significantly reduced on two days of the week.

Each approach offers unique benefits and may suit different lifestyles, so it's important to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian to determine the best fit for your needs.

Research shows that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight by reducing overall calorie intake and promoting fat loss.

This eating pattern has also been linked to improved insulin sensitivity, making it easier for your body to regulate blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance.

Beyond weight loss, intermittent fasting supports metabolic health, lowers inflammation, and may even help regulate appetite and energy levels.

By giving your body regular breaks from food, you can support healthy blood sugar levels, improve your metabolism, and experience a range of health benefits.

The Science Behind Weight Loss

At its core, weight loss is about balancing the calories you consume with the energy your body uses.

When you eat more calories than you burn, your body stores the excess as fat. When you burn more calories than you take in, your body turns to stored fat for energy, resulting in weight loss.

Intermittent fasting helps tip this balance by naturally reducing calorie intake and encouraging your body to use fat for fuel.

Berberine adds another layer of support by improving insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, and enhancing metabolic health.

When combined with intermittent fasting, berberine can help your body more efficiently regulate blood sugar and support healthy weight loss.

Additionally, intermittent fasting can induce autophagy, a process where your body cleans out damaged cells and proteins, promoting better cellular health and reducing inflammation.

Together, these strategies create a powerful synergy for supporting your overall health, managing your weight, and optimising your metabolism.

What is Berberine?

Berberine is a natural compound found in plants like goldenseal, barberry, and Oregon grape, and has a long history of use in traditional medicine for treating various health conditions.

In recent years, berberine has gained attention for its ability to support weight loss and improve metabolic health.

One of the ways berberine works is by activating AMPK, an enzyme that plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism and energy expenditure throughout the body.

By boosting AMPK activity, berberine helps improve insulin sensitivity, making it easier for your body to manage blood sugar levels.

It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation and support overall health.

Whether you're looking to lose weight, manage blood sugar, or simply support your metabolic health, berberine supplements offer a natural way to enhance your wellness routine.

As always, consult with a healthcare professional before adding new supplements to your regimen, especially if you are taking other medications or have existing health conditions.