What Does Elderberry Do? A Guide to Elderberry
Elderberry is the small, dark purple fruit of the elder tree, used for centuries as a winter remedy. In human trials, elderberry shortened colds and eased cold and flu symptoms, though the trials were small. It hasn't been shown to stop you catching a cold in the first place. It's well tolerated when properly prepared, but the berries should never be eaten raw.
This guide covers the whole subject at a glance: what elderberry is, what the research shows and where it stops, the forms it comes in, how to take it, and who should check with a doctor first. Where there's more to say, the full answer is a link away.
What is elderberry?
Elderberry usually means the fruit of Sambucus nigra, the European or black elder, a shrub or small tree that grows across Europe and North America. In late summer it produces flat, umbrella-shaped clusters of tiny purple-black berries on reddish stalks. Earlier in the year, the same plant carries clusters of creamy white elderflowers, which are used too, mostly in teas and cordials.
The berries get their deep color from anthocyanins, the same family of plant pigments found in blueberries and blackcurrants. They're the compounds researchers point to most when they study elderberry.
Elderberry has a long history as a home remedy, usually simmered into a syrup with honey or sugar and kept for the colder months. Today most people buy it ready-made, as a syrup, gummy, capsule, lozenge or tincture.
What does elderberry do? What the research shows
Most of the human research on elderberry looks at one thing: colds and flu.
- Flu symptoms. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in Norway, adults with flu-like symptoms who took elderberry syrup for five days felt better about four days sooner than those on placebo, and needed less other medicine.
- Colds around travel. In a trial of 312 air travelers, those taking elderberry extract who caught a cold had it for about two days fewer, with milder symptoms, than those on placebo. They didn't catch fewer colds, though.
- Across the trials. A 2019 meta-analysis pooling 180 participants found elderberry substantially reduced upper respiratory symptoms.
The fairest summary comes from a 2021 systematic review of five randomized trials: elderberry may shorten colds and make them milder, and may shorten the flu, but the evidence is uncertain because the trials were small. It may not lower your chance of catching a cold at all. The review also found no evidence that elderberry overstimulates the immune system, a worry that came up during the pandemic.
What elderberry doesn't do
- It isn't a vaccine or a cure. It's a traditional remedy with modest, promising research, not a replacement for medical care when you're unwell.
- It hasn't been shown to prevent colds. The trials found shorter, milder colds, not fewer of them. That's the main way it differs from echinacea, the other well-known cold-season herb.
- It isn't instant. The trials used it over several days, started early, or for a couple of weeks around travel.
Forms of elderberry
| Form | What it is | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Syrup | Berries simmered and sweetened | The form used in the flu trial. Often made with honey, and usually refrigerated once opened |
| Gummies | Elderberry extract set in a gummy | Easy to take; check how many make a serving and the sugar |
| Capsules | Dried extract | The form used in the travel trial; no taste |
| Tincture | Berries steeped in glycerin or alcohol | Shelf-stable; glycerin versions are alcohol-free with no added sugar |
| Tea | Dried berries or elderflowers | Gentle and traditional; less studied than the extracts |
If a dropper suits you better than a spoon, elderberry tincture is concentrated, keeps for a long time and has no added sugar in its glycerin form.
How to take elderberry
There's no official daily amount, because products differ so much in strength. Take the serving on your label, with a meal, at the same time each day, and don't combine several elderberry products. Many people take one serving a day through the colder months, while the trials used larger amounts as short courses. How much elderberry to take per day depends on the form, and the trial amounts are worth knowing before you choose.
Is elderberry safe?
Never eat raw elderberries. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, raw or unripe berries, and the leaves and stems, contain substances that can cause nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhea. Cooking and proper processing remove them, which is why a prepared product is the safe way to take elderberry.
Prepared elderberry is well tolerated by most adults: in the air travel trial, no side effects could be linked to it. Talk to your doctor before taking it if you:
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding, since little is known about its safety then
- Take medication that suppresses the immune system, or have an autoimmune condition
- Take diabetes medication or diuretics
- Want to give it to a child, in which case use a product made for children and ask your pediatrician first
For the full picture, including which parts of the plant are poisonous and how elderberry fits with medications, see our guide to elderberry side effects and who should not take it.
Elderberry's traditional partners
Old elderberry recipes rarely used the berries alone. Warming spices like ginger, cinnamon and cloves were common, along with herbs for the chest and throat. Mullein leaf, a soft, velvety herb long used for the airways, is one of the classic partners, along with nettle leaf.
Our Elderberry Soothe and Defend tincture
Our Elderberry Soothe and Defend tincture follows that traditional recipe, built on whole elderberries rather than concentrate, with mullein leaf, nettle leaf, ginger root, cinnamon bark, whole cloves and sweet orange peel. It's made with vegetable glycerin, so it's alcohol-free with no added sugar. One dropper a day with a meal, for adults, prepared slowly by hand in small batches in Holmes County, Ohio. It sits in our Daily Defense range for everyday immune support through the colder months.
Frequently asked questions
What does elderberry do for the body?
Elderberry is rich in anthocyanins, plant pigments that researchers study for immune support. In small human trials, it shortened colds and eased cold and flu symptoms. It hasn't been shown to prevent colds.
Is it good to take elderberry every day?
Many people take one label serving a day through the colder months. Most research used it for days to a couple of weeks, so if you plan to take it for months, follow your label and mention it to your doctor if you have a health condition.
Does elderberry boost your immune system?
Elderberry is traditionally taken for immune support, and trials found shorter, milder colds. A 2021 review found no evidence that it overstimulates the immune system.
Can you eat raw elderberries?
No. Raw or unripe elderberries, and the leaves and stems, can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Only use properly prepared elderberry products.
What's the difference between elderberry and elderflower?
Both come from the same plant. Elderflowers are the creamy white blossoms of early summer, used mostly in teas and cordials. Elderberries are the dark fruit that follows, used in syrups, gummies, capsules and tinctures, and they're what most of the research studied.
Who shouldn't take elderberry?
Check with your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have an autoimmune condition, take immune-suppressing, diabetes or diuretic medication, or want to give it to a child.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is general information and not medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, take prescription medication, or are considering it for a child.