com Barberry Extract Powder - Berberine Supplement, from Barberry Root & Bark - Soy Free - 500mg per Serving, 2000 Servings (1 Kilogram - 2.2 lbs)

I bought Barberry Extract as a more-whole form of Berberine. Barberry Extract is a less-purified thing. Yes, there's some Berberine in there too, but also some other stuff. Generally you get better effects from keeping the complexity of an entire plant (e.g. Turmeric is more powerful than isolated Curcumin), so I actually prefer taking Berberine this way. However! It turns out that Berberine inhibits the PDE5 enzyme at the mRNA level (less is transcripted to be synthesized). For comparison, traditional PDE5 inhibitors act on the free-floating, already-synthesized enzyme. Berberine can be stacked with traditional PDE5 inhibitors for some extra kick. PDE5 is an enzyme that eats Nitric Oxide, which is a signaling molecule that causes blood vessels to dilate. For good blood vessel function, you want more Nitric Oxide in the body and you want it to stay around longer. To get more Nitric Oxide, eat Beet Roots or Arugula (or supplements based on either). While it should be obvious why more blood flow is a good thing (for both sexes), some men focus on suppressing PDE5 and boosting NO for certain... purposes. Ask your parents when you're older. I initially tried Barberry Extract as a way of troubleshooting my weight because of the blood sugar effects. Honestly Barberry Extract caused no change to my weight, but the increased blood flow was something I definitely noticed after a few days of consistent supplementation.

This is second time I bought this product. First time (Jan 2024) I bought a smaller package (250g) to check it out. I knew the taste was expected to be bitter. It was, but tolerably so. It dissolved well. So when the package finished I ordered a 1kg package (Aug 2024). I noticed a difference as soon as I opened the package. The powder was much more finely ground. It turned out that the taste was also different, much more bitter. I can still drink it, but a lot less pleasant. However, the main reason why I am rating it so low is that it does not dissolve fully even in warm water. Vigorous swirling with a spoon does not help either. So product seem to have changed between Jan and Aug.

Not pure it list dextrin and undisclosed amounts and source! Dextrin can be from allergens. This can cause sugar spikes which is self defeating!

It’s unbearably bitter, and I’ve tried several ways to take it with no success. It should be sold in capsules, but is not returnable since it’s a food product. I’ll order some capsules and fill them myself, which I don’t look forward to. I’m not sure they even work since I can’t stand the taste and have used very little of the product.

They just jacked the price up majorly on this from $26 to $40. This product is not even worth it for anywhere near that amount. I would recommend buying something else elsewhere.