- Helps keep immune system healthy.
- May shorten the duration of flu symptoms.
- Antioxidant properties help to relieve oxidative stress.
Elderberry Extract is derived from the fruit of the Sambucus nigra or Black Elder, a small tree located in Europe, Western Asia, North Africa, and North America. Part of a long tradition of herbal remedies and traditional folk medicines, the Black Elder tree is called "the medicine chest of the common people" and its flowers, berries, leaves, bark, and even roots have all been used for their healing properties for centuries. Elder fruit contains many important nutrients for health, such as vitamins A, B and C, flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, and amino acids.
Elderberry is best known for its anti-viral properties, and elderberry has long been used to boost the immune system. Two separate studies involving elderberry extract found that elderberry helped curb influenza when taken during the first 48 hours of symptoms. Participants in the study found that the duration time of their symptoms decreased significantly while using elderberry extract.
Another component of elderberry are its anthocyanin flavonoids, which contain many antioxidant properties. Antioxidants like those found in elderberry fight free radicals, reducing oxidative stress and making elderberry a potentially valuable tool in treatment or prevention of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, peripheral vascular disease, and multiple sclerosis.