A new study has found that taking berberine, a plant-based supplement, for six months did not reduce belly fat or liver fat in people with obesity but without diabetes. At the start and end of the study, the researchers used CT scans to measure liver fat and visceral fat. People taking berberine saw a small average change in belly fat of -0.6%, while those taking placebo showed a change of -2.0%. For liver fat, the berberine group actually saw a tiny increase of 0.1%, while the placebo group saw a small decrease of -1.1%. In summary, the study found that berberine is safe and may slightly improve some cholesterol and inflammation levels, but it does not reduce belly fat or liver fat in people without diabetes.