Does berberine affect reproductive health and function?

The largest body of evidence for berberine in reproductive health is as a treatment for people with PCOS.^[1][2][3] Some research has been done on berberine’s effects on uterine fibroids^[4], premature ovarian failure,^[5] and dysmenorrhea,^[6] but these studies are few and/or still in preclinical phases. In people with PCOS, clinical evidence suggests that berberine, at doses ranging from 300 mg/d to 2000 mg/d, may be beneficial for pregnancy and/or conception: when compared with placebo or no treatment at all, berberine may aid in reducing of testosterone and the ratio of LH to FSH.^[2] It is unclear, however, whether this is a direct effect or simply a result of berberine’s impact on other factors such as glucose and blood lipid regulation.^[2][3] Another point worth consideration is that it does appear that higher doses of berberine are more prone to adverse events, and there simply is not enough evidence available to confirm the safety of berberine in (or surrounding) pregnancy.^[3]