Elderberry
Elderberry is the dark purple fruit of the black elder, Sambucus nigra. It is rich in anthocyanins and is mostly studied as an extract for colds and flu.
Also listed as Black Elderberry, Black Elderberry Extract, Black Elderberry Powder, Sambucus nigra
Does it shorten a cold or flu?
A 2021 systematic review included five randomized trials. It found possible reductions in cold severity and duration and in flu duration, but the evidence was uncertain. Cold prevention was not clearly improved. 1
A separate 2020 trial enrolled 87 people aged five or older with laboratory-confirmed influenza. Participants used extract or placebo for five days; elderberry did not shorten the illness or reduce its severity. This contradicts the earlier positive trials. 2
Possible symptom relief in small studies has not been consistently reproduced; prevention and treatment are separate questions. 1 2
Does it overstimulate immunity?
The systematic review found no studies connecting elderberry with clinical inflammatory outcomes. Changes in inflammatory signals measured outside the body were reported, but they cannot establish either a clinical benefit or a cytokine-storm risk. 1
Effects by health goal
Open an effect to see the studies behind its rating. Bars show the size of the effect; the letter grades the evidence.
Immune Support4 effects
No study is linked to this rating.
No study is linked to this rating.
No study is linked to this rating.
No study is linked to this rating.
Longevity1 effect
No study is linked to this rating.
Other effects1 effect
No study is linked to this rating.
Sources
- Elderberry for prevention and treatment of viral respiratory illnesses: a systematic review BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 2021
- Elderberry Extract Outpatient Influenza Treatment for Emergency Room Patients Ages 5 and Above: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2020