Elderberry – The Immune Health Superstar
ELDERBERRY THE IMMUNE HEALTH SUPERSTAR
Science has proven the role of elderberry towards immune health in both cellular lab studies and some human clinical trials, making the superfood an immune health superstar! With these studies, make elderberry purple goodness a vital part in your daily diet!
DID YOU KNOW?
The demand for elderberry resulted in record sales, making it the immune health superstar in 2020 and 2021! This indicates a strong consumer interest in elderberry to improve their overall health and particularly to enhance their protection.
Excerpts from two leading newsletters confirmed that elderberry is the superstar!
Source: Nutraingredients-usa.com (2021)1
Source: American Botanical Council (2021)2
Want to know more about elderberry?
Read these studies!
Advanced research on the antioxidant and health benefit of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) in food – a review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464614002400
Sambucus nigra (black elder) as alternative treatment for cold and flu
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7347422/
Anti-influenza activity of elderberry (Sambucus nigra)
https://carmelberry.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ElderberryStudyFlu2019.pdf
Sambucus nigra extracts inhibit infectious bronchitis virus at an early point during replication
https://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-10-24
Why Elderberry?
Elderberry is traditionally used to support immune health and as a remedy to help alleviate cold and flu symptoms. It has also been featured in many recent studies supporting its use for immune health.
This is because it is packed with powerful antioxidants such as polyphenol anthocyanins ~ the substance that gives elderberry its deep, dark purple colour, phenolic acids, flavanols, Vitamin A and C3, making it the super berry among all berries! These substances present in elderberry means it has:
Antioxidant properties that reduce oxidative damage to your cells for a healthier body.3,4
Anti-bacterial
and anti-viral activities to help you fight off infections.3,5
Anti-inflammatory
properties to relieve your pain and swelling.3
How Elderberry Works?
Elderberry is associated with strengthening immune health because the natural substances in it help to:
- Block virus from entering and replicating in the host cell4,5, thus reducing your chances of infections.
- Reduce the spread of virus from cell to cell to reduce the severity and duration of cold and flu.5
- Regulate the production of cytokines for a healthier immune response towards infections.5
- Improve the activity of white blood cells to relieve symptoms of cold and flu hence, speeding up your recovery.6
- Protect your immune cells against oxidative damage to enhance your protection.6
References:
1. Elderberry supplement sales skyrocketed to $320 million in 2020: ABC report (nutraingredients-usa.com)
2. Herbal Supplement Sales in US Increase by Record-Breaking 17.3% in 2020 – American Botanical Council (herbalgram.org)
3. Sidor, A., & Gramza-M. A. (2015). Advanced research on the antioxidant and health benefit of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) in food – A review.
Journal of Functional Foods, Volume 18, Part B. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2014.07.012.
4. Mahboubi, M. (2020) Sambucus nigra (black elder) as alternative treatment for cold and flu. ADV TRADIT MED (ADTM). doi: 10.1007/s13596-020-00469-z.
5. Golnoosh, T., Torabian, G., Valtchev P., Adil, Q., & Dehghani, F. (2019). Anti-influenza activity of elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Journal of functional foods, 54, 353-360. doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2019.01.031
6. Chen, C., Zuckerman, D. M., Brantley, S., Sharpe, M., Childress, K., Hoiczyk, E., & Pendleton, A. R. (2014). Sambucus nigra extracts inhibit infectious bronchitis virus at an early point during
replication. BMC veterinary research, 10, 24. Doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-10-24.
