Elderberry
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Elderberry is a dietary supplement with 7 published peer-reviewed studies involving 459 participants, researched for GI Health, Oxidation (Fats, Carbohydrates, etc), Blood Sugar and 2 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
GI Health
ModerateOxidation (Fats, Carbohydrates, etc)
ModerateBlood Sugar
ModerateImmunity
ModerateCognitive Health
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
GI Health
To determine if the metabolic benefits observed with other anthocyanin-rich berries extend to elderberries. Anthocyanin-rich berries are fruits with high concentrations of natural, deep-red, purple, or blue pigments known for powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To determine if the metabolic benefits observed with other anthocyanin-rich berries extend to elderberries. Anthocyanin-rich berries are fruits with high concentrations of natural, deep-red, purple, or blue pigments known for powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Dose
355 g of either 100% elderberry juice or placebo
Participants
18 (analysed) men and women with an average age of 41 years
Duration
1 week
Results
Drinking elderberry juice for one week significantly improved gut microbiota composition, glucose tolerance, and fat oxidation in overweight or obese adults. The study found that elderberry juice consumption led to beneficial changes in the gut microbiome, specifically increasing the abundance of 'good' bacteria like Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while decreasing less desirable ones such as Bacteroidetes. At a more detailed level, elderberry juice significantly increased Ruminococcaceae (a family of bacteria known to be beneficial for gut health) and Bifidobacterium (another beneficial genus), and suggestively increased Faecalibacterium (a genus associated with gut health), while decreasing Bacteroides and lactic acid-producing bacteria.
Oxidation (Fats, Carbohydrates, etc)
To determine if the metabolic benefits observed with other anthocyanin-rich berries extend to elderberries. Anthocyanin-rich berries are fruits with high concentrations of natural, deep-red, purple, or blue pigments known for powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To determine if the metabolic benefits observed with other anthocyanin-rich berries extend to elderberries. Anthocyanin-rich berries are fruits with high concentrations of natural, deep-red, purple, or blue pigments known for powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Dose
355 g/day of either 100% elderberry juice or placebo
Participants
18 (analysed) men and women with an average age of 41 years
Duration
1 week
Results
Elderberry juice treatment significantly improved how the body handles sugar, reducing blood glucose levels by 24% after a meal tolerance test (a test measuring how quickly glucose is cleared from the blood after eating). Furthermore, it boosted fat oxidation (the process of burning fat for energy) by 27% during the meal tolerance test and also during moderate physical activity, suggesting a shift towards using more fat as fuel. These findings indicate that the anthocyanins (beneficial plant compounds) in elderberry juice have positive effects on both gut health and metabolic functions related to obesity.
To test the effects of elderberry juice consumption on substrate oxidation (how the body burns fats and carbohydrates for energy) and insulin sensitivity (how well the body uses insulin to control blood sugar) in overweight or obese adults, but otherwise healthy.
Study Type
Pilot Study
Purpose
To test the effects of elderberry juice consumption on substrate oxidation (how the body burns fats and carbohydrates for energy) and insulin sensitivity (how well the body uses insulin to control blood sugar) in overweight or obese adults, but otherwise healthy.
Dose
177 mL/day of 100% elderberry juice ((360 mg/day of cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents (C3GE)) or placebo
Participants
9 men and women with an average age of 55 years
Duration
1 week
Results
Average carbohydrate oxidation (the process of ‘burning’ carbohydrates to create energy) was significantly higher during the 3 h meal tolerance test after 1-week elderberry juice consumption (3.38 vs. 2.88 g per interval, EBJ vs. placebo, p = 0.0113). However, average fat oxidation was significantly higher after 1-week placebo consumption (1.17 vs. 1.47 g per interval, EBJ vs. placebo, p = 0.0189). There was no difference in serum glucose or insulin response between treatments.
Blood Sugar
To determine if the metabolic benefits observed with other anthocyanin-rich berries extend to elderberries. Anthocyanin-rich berries are fruits with high concentrations of natural, deep-red, purple, or blue pigments known for powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To determine if the metabolic benefits observed with other anthocyanin-rich berries extend to elderberries. Anthocyanin-rich berries are fruits with high concentrations of natural, deep-red, purple, or blue pigments known for powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Dose
355 g/day of either 100% elderberry juice or placebo
Participants
18 (analysed) men and women with an average age of 41 years
Duration
1 week
Results
Elderberry juice treatment significantly improved how the body handles sugar, reducing blood glucose levels by 24% after a meal tolerance test (a test measuring how quickly glucose is cleared from the blood after eating). Furthermore, it boosted fat oxidation (the process of burning fat for energy) by 27% during the meal tolerance test and also during moderate physical activity, suggesting a shift towards using more fat as fuel. These findings indicate that the anthocyanins (beneficial plant compounds) in elderberry juice have positive effects on both gut health and metabolic functions related to obesity.
Immunity
To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of a standardized elderberry extract for treating influenza A and B infections in humans.
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of a standardized elderberry extract for treating influenza A and B infections in humans.
Dose
60 mL/day elderberry or placebo syrup (4 x 15 mL)
Participants
60 patients (aged 18 – 54 years) suffering from influenza-like symptoms for 48 h or less
Duration
5 days
Results
The key finding was that elderberry extract significantly reduced the duration of influenza symptoms, with patients experiencing relief on average 4 days earlier than those in the placebo group. Furthermore, the use of rescue medication (such as paracetamol or nasal spray to alleviate symptoms) was significantly less in the elderberry group compared to the placebo group. The study also found that elderberry extract was safe, with none of the patients reporting adverse reactions related to the medication, except for one participant who disliked the taste.
To investigate if a standardised membrane filtered elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) extract has beneficial effects on respiratory, and mental health
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To investigate if a standardised membrane filtered elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) extract has beneficial effects on respiratory, and mental health
Dose
300 mg of elderberry extract (22% polyphenols (i.e., quercetin and its glycosides, rutin), 15% anthocyanins (i.e., cyanidin and pelargonidin glycosides) and 150 mg of rice flour or placebo (2 capsules/day, priming dose (-10 to ́-2 days) and from 1 day before leaving home until 4/5 days after arriving at the destination (3 capsules/day, overseas dose (-1 to +5 days)
Participants
312 economy class passengers travelling from Australia to an overseas destination
Duration
10-15 days
Results
Results showed that the placebo group participants had a significantly longer duration of cold episode days (117 vs. 57, p = 0.02) and the average symptom score over these days was also significantly higher (583 vs. 247, p = 0.05) compared to the elderberry group. In addition, most cold episodes occurred in the placebo group (17 vs. 12), however the difference was not significant (p = 0.4). These data suggest a significant reduction of cold duration and severity in air travelers.
Cognitive Health
To examine the effects of elderberry on older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Study Type
Secondary analysis of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To examine the effects of elderberry on older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Dose
15 mL/day elderberry juice (3 x 5 mL; 15.9 mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside (the main anthocyanin in elderberry) per 5 mL of elderberry juice) or placebo
Participants
24 men and women with an average age of 76 years
Duration
6 months
Results
Participants who consumed elderberry juice showed a trend towards a significant improvement (p= 0.049) in their cognitive flexibility latency scores, meaning they became quicker at tasks requiring mental adaptability. Their average scores decreased from 29.89 at the beginning of the study to 18.57 after six months. In contrast, the placebo group did not show similar significant improvements. This suggests that elderberry juice might offer benefits for the speed aspect of cognitive flexibility in patients with mild cognitive impairment, possibly due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that could reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain. However, no significant effects were observed for other cognitive domains like global cognition, visuospatial construct ability (the ability to perceive and manipulate visual information), cognitive flexibility accuracy, or memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Elderberry research
There are currently 7 peer-reviewed studies on Elderberry (Elderberry), involving 459 total participants. Research covers GI Health, Oxidation (Fats, Carbohydrates, etc), Blood Sugar and 2 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Very Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Very Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (7 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Elderberry has been researched for: GI Health, Oxidation (Fats, Carbohydrates, etc), Blood Sugar, Immunity, Cognitive Health. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 7 out of 7 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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