Study

Effects of a Multi-Component Nutraceutical (NUT2) on the Lipid Profile in Adults with Low-to-Moderate Cardiovascular Risk: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

De Leo V, Citterio C, Smith AB, Fawkes N

12-WEEK RANDOMIZED DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED PARALLEL-GROUP TRIAL Tier 4 2026

A 12-week RCT in 90 adults found a multi-component nutraceutical containing berberine lowered LDL-C by 13.2% versus placebo, but berberine alone was not isolated.

Design12-WEEK RANDOMIZED DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED PARALLEL-GROUP TRIAL
TierTier 4, Ingredient RCT (different dose)
Year2026
JournalNutrients
N90
PublishedAug 12, 2026
Added to NO1GEVITYAug 28, 2026

Ninety adults with low-to-moderate cardiovascular risk and elevated LDL-C were randomized to NUT2 (n=45) or placebo (n=45) for 12 weeks, with both groups receiving standardized dietary advice. NUT2 is a proprietary multi-component nutraceutical; berberine appears among its components but the formulation was tested as a whole, not as isolated berberine. The primary endpoint was change in LDL-C at week 12. LDL-C fell 13.2% with NUT2 and rose 1.6% with placebo, a baseline-corrected between-group difference of -23 mg/dL (95% CI -29 to -16, p<0.001). Total cholesterol difference was -26 mg/dL (95% CI -36 to -17, p<0.001). Homocysteine and fasting insulin were lower with NUT2, and metabolic syndrome prevalence was 13.3% versus 37.8% with placebo (p=0.008). HsCRP did not differ. The design is a genuine human RCT, but the result cannot be attributed to berberine specifically because NUT2 combines several actives. Funding and the full component list are not fully stated in the abstract. The outcome is cardiometabolic risk over 12 weeks, not aging or longevity.

In adults with low-to-moderate cardiovascular risk whose LDL-C remained suboptimal despite dietary intervention, NUT2 produced significant and clinically relevant improvements in LDL-C and total cholesterol over 12 weeks.
Critic notes

Multi-component formulation: berberine contribution cannot be isolated from other NUT2 actives. 12-week duration only; no long-term or safety follow-up. Cardiometabolic endpoints, not longevity. Industry funding not stated in the abstract. Treated as ingredient-level tier 4 because berberine was not dosed or measured alone.

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