Zeus Hygia’s berberine nutraceutical boosts metabolic health in clinical trial
Key takeaways
- A randomized crossover trial found that 200 mg of Metaberine improved glucose control, GLP-1 secretion, and lipid markers in 36 adults.
- The bio-optimized berberine was tested at a dose five to seven times lower than conventional formulations.
- The short, small study shows promising metabolic effects, but larger and longer trials are needed to confirm its clinical relevance.
A randomized controlled trial has shown that Metaberine significantly enhances metabolic health factors at a low dosage. The berberine ingredient, by nutraceutical company Zeus Hygia Life Sciences, improved fasting glucose levels, GLP-1 secretion, and lipid profiles compared to placebo, at a five- to seven-fold lower dose than conventional formulations.
“Supplement buyers are seeking drug-like results to experience faster appetite control, fat loss and lowered glucose, which is creating strong demand for traditional herbal ingredients like berberine,” comments Dr. Arunkanth Krishnakumar, co-founder and director of India- and US-based Zeus Hygia.
The company points out that although GLP-1 therapies have transformed weight management, challenges in weight gain recurrence persist when medications are no longer taken.
Positioning Metaberine as a complementary therapy to these weight loss drugs, Zeus Hygia claims its BioSolve technology brings more efficiency with lower doses than conventional berberine, which helps minimize gastrointestinal intolerance.
Typically, berberines have a low bioavailability that requires high daily doses of up to 1,500 mg daily, details the brand.
Study results
The International Journal of Clinical Trials crossover trial involved 36 healthy adults taking 200 mg of Metaberine or a placebo daily for 14 days per period with a seven-day washout. Their body mass index was 25.8 kg/m², and fasting glucose was 100–125 mg/dl.
The team found that Metaberine had greatly improved all glycemic parameters during the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes.
Fasting glucose fell by 9.08 mg/dl, compared with 1.36 mg/dl on placebo — across all postprandial time points.
Additionally, glucose concentration parameters (AUClast, Cmax) decreased by 13.5% and 12.7%, respectively, from baseline.
Endogenous GLP-1 secretion was also substantially enhanced — 29% (during fasting) and 22% (postprandial) — when participants supplemented with Metaberine. The supplement group also had reductions in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol with an increase in HDL cholesterol, the researchers highlight.
“The findings in this new study are encouraging, as lifestyle modifications can dramatically improve metabolic function, and our bio-optimized berberine is a solution for consumers seeking faster, low-dose, and high-impact nutritional supplements, which conventional berberine extracts cannot deliver,” notes Krishnakumar.
GLP-1 industry solutions
In other complementary nutraceutical innovations for weight loss, a single-blind human clinical trial on Saanroo’s Trpti found that a 300 mg dose raises post-meal GLP-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) within 15 minutes. The study suggests that the ingredient may prevent degradation of incretin hormones by impacting dipeptidyl peptidase-4 levels, an enzyme that degrades GLP-1 and GIP hormones.
Additionally, Rousselot highlighted how its collagen peptides support consumers in two market segments, either in complementing the medication or as natural boosters of metabolic wellness.
To improve satiety, digestion, and palatability in GLP-1-aligned products, Univar Solutions told us about its advanced fibers, texturizers, and specialty ingredients.
