What are elderberry’s main benefits?

    Last Updated: November 15, 2023

    Current meta-analyses support elderberry’s use for the prevention and/or treatment of respiratory infections (mainly those caused by respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19 and influenza), and elderberry’s capacity to strengthen immune response under stressful circumstances, such as air travel, exercise, or exposure to extreme environments.[1][2][3][4][5]

    Clinical trials have also studied elderberry for cardiovascular disease,[6][7] topical treatment of eczema,[8] gingivitis prevention,[9] lipid or carbohydrate oxidation,[7][10] and influenza treatment.[11]

    References

    1. ^Hawkins J, Baker C, Cherry L, Dunne EBlack elderberry (Sambucus nigra) supplementation effectively treats upper respiratory symptoms: A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials.Complement Ther Med.(2019-Feb)
    2. ^Chan V, Wang L, Allman-Farinelli MEfficacy of Functional Foods, Beverages, and Supplements Claiming to Alleviate Air Travel Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients.(2021-Mar-16)
    3. ^Wieland LS, Piechotta V, Feinberg T, Ludeman E, Hutton B, Kanji S, Seely D, Garritty CElderberry for prevention and treatment of viral respiratory illnesses: a systematic review.BMC Complement Med Ther.(2021-Apr-07)
    4. ^Kesheh MM, Shavandi S, Haeri Moghaddam N, Ramezani M, Ramezani FEffect of herbal compounds on coronavirus; a systematic review and meta-analysis.Virol J.(2022-May-21)
    5. ^Crawford C, Brown LL, Costello RB, Deuster PASelect Dietary Supplement Ingredients for Preserving and Protecting the Immune System in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review.Nutrients.(2022-Nov-01)
    6. ^Curtis PJ, Kroon PA, Hollands WJ, Walls R, Jenkins G, Kay CD, Cassidy ACardiovascular disease risk biomarkers and liver and kidney function are not altered in postmenopausal women after ingesting an elderberry extract rich in anthocyanins for 12 weeks.J Nutr.(2009-Dec)
    7. ^Murkovic M, Abuja PM, Bergmann AR, Zirngast A, Adam U, Winklhofer-Roob BM, Toplak HEffects of elderberry juice on fasting and postprandial serum lipids and low-density lipoprotein oxidation in healthy volunteers: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.Eur J Clin Nutr.(2004-Feb)
    8. ^Farahani AM, Aryanian Z, Memariani Z, Mozaffarpur SA, Shirafkan HA Comparison of the Effect of Topical Preparation of L. and Hydrocortisone on Hand Eczema: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.J Altern Complement Med.(2021-Apr)
    9. ^Kim YR, Nam SHA randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating of a mouthwash containing Sambucus williamsii var. coreana extract for prevention of gingivitits.Sci Rep.(2022-07-18)
    10. ^Rust BM, Riordan JO, Carbonero FG, Solverson PMOne-Week Elderberry Juice Treatment Increases Carbohydrate Oxidation after a Meal Tolerance Test and Is Well Tolerated in Adults: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.Nutrients.(2023-Apr-25)
    11. ^Macknin M, Wolski K, Negrey J, Mace SElderberry Extract Outpatient Influenza Treatment for Emergency Room Patients Ages 5 and Above: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.J Gen Intern Med.(2020-Nov)