Glucagon--the Forgotten Blood Sugar Hormone that can Make Diabetes Worse

Glucagon is often overlooked as a possible cause of high blood glucose levels. 

Glucagon is a hormone that works opposite to insulin. 

Insulin allows glucose into cells, and when the cells have adequate glucose, insulin causes the glucose to be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen.

Glycogen--linkages of glucose

When blood sugar levels drop, glucagon is released to cause the glycogen to break down into glucose to bring the blood glucose levels up.

So in general, insulin decreases blood glucose levels by causing glucose to go into cells and storing glycogen, and glucagon increases blood glucose levels by breaking down glycogen into glucose.

Most people with Diabetes Type 1 who take insulin shots also have an emergency kit with a glucagon shot to help bring up the blood glucose if the levels drop too low.

Doctors usually concentrate on insulin levels to deal with diabetes.  However, most doctors don't realize that glucagon can also play a role in elevated blood sugar in people with diabetes.

Whenever the pancreas senses the blood sugar levels are too high it will release insulin to open the cells to accept glucose.  And whenever the pancreas senses the cellular glucose levels are too low, it will release glucagon to bring the glucose levels up.  You need a healthy balance of both hormones to keep your blood sugar in check.  But with diabetes, this delicate balance is disrupted.

In Diabetes Type 1, the pancreas can't make enough insulin, and so not enough glucose can move into the cells.  In Diabetes Type 2, the cells become resistant to the insulin, and so not enough glucose can move into the cells.  In both situations the blood glucose levels are too high, but there isn't enough glucose in the cells to make energy.  Because there isn't enough glucose in the cells, glucagon is released to break down the stored glucose in glycogen so the glucose goes higher.  Instead of working with insulin to maintain healthy blood sugar, it can send your blood sugar levels sky high.

Because of this, more and more insulin is needed to bring glucose levels down and make more glycogen, but in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes the cells can become more insulin resistant, causing more glucagon to be released, making it much more difficult to control blood sugar.

The good news is, there has been a recent breakthrough discovery of a 5,000 year old Chinese nutrient that naturally lowers glucagon levels while supporting healthy insulin levels and helping your body burn off excess blood sugar.

For centuries this nutrient was used to treat infections and fight inflammation.  But recently, modern medical science discovered that it can have a powerful effect on blood sugar as well.

Berberine

This amazing nutrient is called berberine.  It is found in many natural plants such as barberry, goldenseal, oregon grape, and more. 

In a study in 2008, Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (Jun Yin, et. al.) berberine was given to a group of diabetics.  A placebo was given to another group.  During the 12 week trial, the patients given berberine saw their fasting blood sugar go from an average of 172 to 97!  Their glucose tolerance, a measure of how well they metabolize excess glucose, improved by 44%, and their hemoglobin A1C decreased from an average of 8.1 to 7.3.

Further studies showed that berberine helps lower glucagon levels, slows down carbohydrate digestion, promotes healthy insulin levels, reduces inflammation, lowers cholesterol and helps release AMPK, which works as a metabolic "master switch."  It has shown to be as effective as equivalent doses of Metformin in balancing blood sugar and insulin.

We are pleased that one serving of our SpringTree Glucose Balance contains 600 mg of berberine, more than you will find in most other glucose support supplements, as well as many other nutrients and herbs which support the balance of glucose, insulin and glucagon.  You can go up to 1500 mg. of berberine a day without major problems.  If you have diabetes, I highly recommend berberine as part of your daily supplements.

Until we meet again,
Dr. Judi

The Incredible Health Effects of Berberine

Berberine has been found to work as an antibiotic, and anti-fungal/anti-candida agent, reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, support the cardiovascular system, works as an anti-inflammatory, reduces fatty liver disease, reduces leaky gut syndrome, acts as an antidepressant, and has anti-cancer effects.  It also lowers blood sugar and reduces insulin resistance, in one study as effectively as metformin.

Because people with diabetes are at risk for candida, high cholesterol and triglycerides, heart disease, inflammation, fatty liver, intestinal problems, mood disorders and cancer, they may want to consider taking berberine to not only assist in lowering blood sugar, but in protecting their body from all the risks associated with diabetes.

(SpringTree Glucose Balance has 500 mg of berberine with each serving.)

Berberine is a strongly yellow colored compound found in plants such as Oregon grape, Barberry, Goldenseal and others.  It has been used for centuries for both its medicinal properties and as a natural dye.
 
Berberine is a nucleic acid-binding isoquinolone alkaloid with wide potential therapeutic properties.  Berberine prevents and suppresses proinflammatory cytokines, E-selectin, and genes, and increases adiponectin expression.

Antibiotic properties
Berberine has long been used as an antibiotic, such as in Goldenseal.  Studies have shown that it has effectiveness against Staphylococcus Aureus, and possibly against MRSA. 

Antifungal and antiyeast properties
Berberine has shown some activity against fungal infections, Candida albicans, yeast, parasites, and bacterial/viral infections. Berberine seems to exert synergistic effects with fluconazole (an anti-fungal medication) even in drug-resistant C. albicans infections. 


Support of the cardiovascular system
During the last few decades, many studies have shown berberine has various beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.  Berberine lowers elevated blood total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and atherogenic apolipoproteins (Apo B).  It seems to improve arterial endothelial function.  Clinical and experimental studies show that berberine may be useful in congestive heart failure.

Anti-inflammatory properties
 Berberine has significant anti-inflammatory activities.  It restores cellular redox by inhibiting gp91phos expression and enhancing SOD, the body's super anti-oxidant.  It suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduces pro-inflammatory gene expression.

Profoundly positive effects in diabetes
Exciting new research is showing that berberine has been shown to lower elevated blood glucose as effectively as metformin.  Using 500 mg. three times per day, there were significant decreases in hemoglobin A1C, fasting blood glucose, after meal (postprandial) blood glucose, and triglyceride levels.  The mechanisms of action include inhibition of aldose reductase, inducing glycolysis, preventing insulin resistance through increasing insulin receptor expression and acting like incretins.  A new study suggested berberine may overcome insulin resistance via modulating key molecules in insulin signaling pathway, leading to increased glucose uptake in insulin-resistant cells.

Fatty liver disease
Berberine reduces hepatic fat content in the rats of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Berberine also prevents proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which are central for the development of fibrosis during liver injury.

Cancer
Berberine has drawn extensive attention towards its antineoplastic effects. It seems to suppress the growth of a wide variety of tumor cells, including breast cancer, leukemia, melanoma, epidermoid carcinoma, hepatoma, pancreatic cancer, oral carcinoma, tongue carcinoma, glioblastoma, prostate carcinoma and gastric carcinoma. Animal studies have shown that berberine can suppress chemical-induced carcinogenesis, clastogenesis, tumor promotion, tumor invasion, prostate cancer, neuroblastoma, and leukemia.

Brain and Mental Health
Berberine seems to act as an herbal antidepressant and a neuroprotector against neurodegenerative disorders.  As berberine is a natural compound that has been safely administered to humans, preliminary results have been found in clinical trials in patients with depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, or related diseases in which cognitive capabilities are affected, with either the extract or pure berberine.   It increases noradrenaline and serotonin levels in the brain (rats) while inhibiting dopaminergic activity.  It may increase the number of serotonin transporters available in the brain, enhacing the reuptake of serotonin.  The half-life of berberine in vivo seems to be three to four hours, thus suggesting administration three times a day if steady levels are to be achieved.

New experimental results suggest berberine may have a potential for inhibition and prevention of Alzheimers Disease(AD), mainly through both cholinesterase (ChEs) inhibitory and β-amyloids pathways, and additionally through antioxidant capacities.

Intestinal Disorders
As an antibiotic and antifungal berberine reduces intestinal dysbiosis (abnormal gut bacteria and yeast).  Berberine can ameliorate proinflammatory cytokines-induced intestinal epithelial tight junction damage (which causes "leaky gut syndrome") in vitro, and berberine may be one of the targeted therapeutic agents that can restore barrier function in intestinal disease states.

Consider Berberine as one of your regular supplements, especially if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes.

Until we meet again,
Dr. Judi