Berberine for PCOS

I started Berberine after dealing with difficulty losing weight for months. By week 3 I noticed the frequency of symptoms reduced. At 12 weeks, the difference was remarkable. Would definitely continue.

Tried Berberine on the recommendation of online menopause community. The first few weeks were slow to show results, but by week 12 I could function normally again. Very happy with the results so far.

After 12 weeks on Berberine, I'd say it made a modest difference to my hair thinning and skin changes. The change was there but subtle. I may try increasing the dose.

Tried berberine as a 'natural metformin' after seeing it discussed on the PCOS subreddit. There is some research supporting its use for insulin resistance but it's not as robust as for metformin or inositol. After 3 months my fasting glucose improved slightly and my cycles are marginally more regular. The GI side effects were similar to metformin. It's something but I might switch to the better-evidenced inositol.

My endocrinologist mentioned berberine as something with emerging research for insulin resistance in PCOS. The first two weeks were rough on my stomach but once I started taking it with meals that settled. By month 2 my fasting glucose had come down and my periods became slightly more regular — from every 45-60 days to roughly every 35-40 days.