We sell a berberine and green tea patch, and it is fair to say patches are the most debated format in the supplement aisle. Rather than sell around that, here is the honest version.
What a patch is
An adhesive dressing carrying a measured amount of ingredient, worn against the skin for a set number of hours. Ours contains 70mg of a berberine and green tea blend per patch, thirty per pack, one a day.
The convenience case, which is real
The case for patches is straightforward and it is about behaviour, not biology. Some people will not swallow another capsule. Some already take several tablets a day and do not want another. Some cannot swallow capsules at all.
A patch is visible, so you can see whether you did today's. It takes three seconds. For a certain kind of person that is the difference between doing something daily and not.
The part most sellers skip
Skin is a barrier. That is its job. How much of any given compound crosses it depends heavily on the molecule — its size, how it behaves in fat and water, and how it is formulated.
Some compounds cross skin readily; that is why nicotine and hormone patches are established medicines. Others cross poorly. Berberine is a large molecule and is not a straightforward candidate for skin delivery.
You will see supplement patches described as “transdermal” with confident language about steady all-day delivery. Claims like that need evidence specific to that formulation, and it is entirely reasonable to ask a seller for it.
We have removed that wording from our own patch page. Our page now tells you what is in the patch and how to use it, and does not assert how much crosses your skin, because we do not have data specific to this formulation that would let us say so.
How to use them properly
- Clean, dry, hairless skin — inner forearm or shoulder work well
- Wear for up to 8 hours, then remove
- Rotate the site each day; the same patch of skin every day will get irritated
- If you get redness or itching, take it off and stop using them
Should you buy one?
If you would take a capsule but find it a chore, take the capsule — oral is the better-understood route. If you genuinely will not take capsules, a patch you will use every day is a more honest proposition than a tub you will not open.
What we would rather you did not do is buy a patch because you have read that it is more effective than swallowing something. That is not a claim we make.
Before you start
Not suitable for children, or for anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are taking medication or under medical supervision, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before use. Our patches contain green tea extract, which is a source of caffeine.