GlucoVantage®The Super Berberine™ The first commercially available brand of Dihydroberberine (DHB), a derivative of berberine.

DHB

DHB is a metabolite of berberine. Interestingly, gut microbes reduce berberine into its tissue-ready form of DHB, which is then converted back to berberine after absorption in intestinal tissues. In other words, supplementation with DHB bypasses the rate-limiting step of microbial reduction. This is why DHB has significantly greater functional benefits compared to berberine. Supplementation with DHB mitigates potential GI distress that some experience with berberine, which is likely the result of poor absorption and/or microbial reduction. New research is being conducted with DHB having potential synergy when co-administered with Bifidobacterium species enhancing the probiotic (as opposed to dysbiotic) nature of the gut.

Superior Bioavailability

Its well-documented benefits notwithstanding, berberine is limited by poor bioavailability. Research has shown that DHB displays significantly improved absorption and enhanced bioavailability relative to berberine. Animal data shows a 5-fold relative increase in the absorption rate (DHB > berberine).[1] Furthermore, the transdermal application of DHB may be very effective, as a topical application in animal models has led to 7-fold higher bioavailability compared to oral berberine.[2]

Reducing Fat and Improving Glucose Tolerance

DHB can reduce adiposity and improve glucose tolerance in mice fed a high-fat diet. To achieve similar effects, berberine needed to be administered at a dose almost 4 times that of DHB[3]

Improving Insulin Sensitivity

DHB has been shown to display markedly improved in vivo efficacy (compared to berberine) in terms of counteracting adiposity, tissue fat gain and insulin resistance in rodents via increased AMPK activity, which also improves insulin sensitivity. These enhanced effects are likely due to enhanced oral bioavailability.[3]

Regulating Lipid Metabolism Balance

One of the most important strategies to maintain lipid metabolism balance and control body mass is to develop inhibitors of pancreatic lipase (PL).[4] On the molecular level, DHB can better combine PL to produce inhibition. In an in vitro activity bioassay, DHB shows a stronger inhibitory effect than that of berberine. (IC50: concentration of natural alkaloids that could inhibit PL activity by 50 %)

References

[1] Feng R., Shou J. W., et al. Scientific Reports, 5:12155. [2] Buchanan B et al., PLOS One 2018 March; 13(3): e0194979. [3] Turner N., Li J. Y., Gosby A., et al. Diabetes, 2008,

57(5):1414-1418. [4] Mohammad M., Al-Masri I. M., Issa A., et al. Medicinal Chemistry Research, 2013, 22(5):2273-2278.