What is elderberry?

Elderberry is a small, dark purple berry that is commonly used for medicinal purposes. It is often used in teas, syrups, and supplements to help prevent and treat various health conditions.

How does it work?

Elderberry contains compounds called anthocyanins and other flavonoids that are thought to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as the ability to stimulate the immune system. These compounds are believed to help boost the body's natural defense against illness and disease.

What forms does it come in?

Elderberry is available in many different forms, including teas, syrups, capsules, gummies, and lozenges.

What does Elderflower help with?

Elderflower is the creamy white blossom of the elder tree. People across Europe have brewed it as a warm tea for colds and fevers for hundreds of years. It is also breathed in as steam, or cooled and used as a skin wash.

The library grades the human evidence for elderflower as D overall. Almost everything on file is long tradition, plus some lab work on its plant compounds. No human trial of elderflower is on file for any use below.

• Cold and flu symptoms
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — centuries of European use, plus lab work on its compounds; no human trial on file. Herbalists gave warm elderflower tea at the first sign of a cold. It was used to ease a raw throat and a stuffy nose, and to bring on light sweating. Lab work has looked at compounds in the flower that calm swelling, but no human trial is on file.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Colds and other upper airway infections
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab testing of flavonoids and chlorogenic acid; tradition; no human trial on file. In lab testing, elderflower's flavonoids and chlorogenic acid acted against viruses and germs. A test tube is not a person, so this does not tell you how an illness will go. Tradition holds that it makes such infections shorter and milder, and no trial on file has tested that. It is often paired with elderberry, which is a separate remedy with its own file.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Fever
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — traditional European use as a sweating herb; no human trial on file. Elderflower is a classic sweating herb, called a diaphoretic in old texts. Warm tea was given at the first sign of fever, since sweating is one way the body sheds heat. Whether it changes a measured fever in people has not been tested in any trial on file.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Blocked, heavy sinuses
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — traditional steam and tea use, plus the mucilage content of the flower; no human trial on file. The blossom holds mucilage, a slick plant gel, along with compounds studied in labs for calming swelling. Tradition used the tea to coat and soothe sore nasal linings. Steam from the hot tea was also breathed in to open the nose. No human trial on file has measured either effect.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Puffy, red or irritated skin
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — topical tradition only; no human study on file. Cooled elderflower tea was used as a compress or a face wash. It was laid under the eyes for swelling, and on skin that was red or mildly sore. This rests on long use alone, with no human study on file.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Hay fever and pollen season sneezing
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — based on quercetin content; no human trial of elderflower for hay fever on file. Elderflower holds quercetin, a plant compound studied for its effect on allergy cells. Some people drink the tea through pollen season for sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny nose. No human trial of elderflower for hay fever is on file, so this stays a claim rather than a finding.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Mild bloating from held fluid
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — traditional use as a gentle diuretic; no human trial on file. Elderflower was used as a mild diuretic, meaning a herb that makes you pass more urine. Traditional use covers minor puffiness and bloating, including around the period. No human trial on file has measured how much fluid, if any, it shifts.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Day-to-day immune support
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab work on its antioxidant flavonoids only; no human trial on file. Elderflower is rich in flavonoids, which act as antioxidants in lab tests. The idea is that they shield immune cells from oxidative stress, a kind of cell wear. That reasoning comes from lab work on plant compounds. No human trial on file shows better immune function in people who take it.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2

What Elderflower has not been shown to do

• No human trial on file shows elderflower shortens a cold or makes one milder.
• No human trial on file shows it brings down a measured fever.
• It has not been shown to match or replace a pharmacy antihistamine for hay fever.
• Lab tests against viruses and germs were done outside the body, so they do not show that it clears an infection in a person.
• Nothing on file supports it for a sinus or chest infection that needs antibiotics.
• It has not been shown to help fluid build-up from heart, kidney or liver disease.
• No human trial on file shows that taking it year-round stops you from catching colds.

How to read this:

Each use above carries its own grade. A and B mean good randomised trials in people. C means small or mixed human studies. D means the human evidence is weak or clashes. Insufficient means there is no human study on file at all, only lab work or tradition. Every elderflower use here sits at insufficient, so treat the tea as a comfort measure with a long history, not as a tested treatment. This page lists options and reports what studies found. It is not advice, and it is not a full safety page. For drug interactions, pregnancy and who should avoid it, see the safety file. Talk to a clinician about a high fever, a fever in a child, or any illness that drags on.

What can it it help prevent?

• Influenza (the flu)
• Common cold
• Respiratory infections
• Sinusitis
• Bronchitis
• Allergic rhinitis
• Hay fever
• Coughs
• Sore throat
• Migraines
• Inflammation
• Oxidative stress
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes
• Age-related cognitive decline
• Chronic fatigue

Which food sources are rich in elderberry?

• Elderberry juice
• Elderberry syrup
• Elderberry tea
• Elderberry gummies
• Elderberry jam
• Elderberry wine
• Elderberry liqueur
• Elderberry candy

What are potential side effects?

Elderberry is generally safe to consume, but some people may experience gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, headache, dizziness or an allergic reaction

What's the recommended daily dose?

The average daily dose of Elderberry for adults is 1 to 2 teaspoons of syrup or 500-1500 mg of extract per day.

How long does it take it takes to work?

The time frame for Elderberry to take effect varies depending on the individual and the condition being treated, but it is typically within a few days to a week.

What time of day should I take it?

Elderberry can be taken at any time of day.

Should I ake it with or without food?

Elderberry can be taken with or without food.