What is bilberry used for?
Bilberry has been used for medicinal purposes since the Middle Ages. The berries and leaves are the parts of the plant that are used. Historically, bilberry has been used for a variety of conditions, including diarrhea, inflammation of the mouth, urinary problems, and diabetes.
Does bilberry help macular degeneration?
Bilberry has been suggested as a treatment for retinopathy (damage to the retina) because anthocyanosides appear to help protect the retina. Bilberry has also exhibited protective effects against macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts.
What are the health benefits of bilberry extract?
Continued. The antioxidants in bilberries can help reduce inflammation in your body. This helps lower your risk of inflammatory diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Bilberry contains phenolic acids, and research suggests phenolic acids may help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Is 1000 mg of bilberry too much?
When taken by mouth: Eating dried, ripe bilberry fruit in typical food amounts is likely safe for most people. Bilberry fruit extracts are possibly safe when taken in doses up to 160 mg daily for up to 6 months. But bilberry leaf is possibly unsafe to take in high doses or for a long time.
What are the side effects of taking bilberry?
Common side effects of Bilberry include:
- Wasting syndrome (cachexia): weight loss, muscle loss, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite.
- Anemia.
- Yellowing skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Excitation at high doses (animal studies)
- May affect blood sugar levels.
How do you eat bilberry?
Also known as whortleberry, huckleberry, or European blueberries, bilberries are often eaten fresh or made into jam, juices, or pies. Bilberries are also available in powder, juice, or supplement form.
How much bilberry should I take?
BY MOUTH: The typical dose of the dried, ripe berries: 20-60 grams daily. People also drink a type of tea made from 5-10 grams (1-2 teaspoons) of the mashed berries. A dose of 160 mg of bilberry extract taken twice daily has been used in people with diseased retinas.
Does bilberry raise blood pressure?
Summary Bilberries may help lower blood pressure, reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, and protect you from blood clots, thus improving your heart health.
Does bilberry help you lose weight?
Some early research shows that consuming 160 grams of bilberry daily for 6 weeks induces disease remission. Weight loss. Early research suggests that eating 100 grams of frozen, whole bilberries daily for 33-35 days decreases weight and waist circumference in overweight and obese women.
What are the medical uses of bilberry?
Historically, bilberry fruit was used to treat diarrhea, scurvy and other conditions. Today, the fruit is used as a traditional remedy for diarrhea, eye problems, varicose veins, poor circulation and even cancer prevention. The bilberry leaf, in addition to the fruit, is used for other conditions, including diabetes.
Can bilberry help venous insufficiency?
Bilberry, both fruit and leaves, has long been a folk or traditional remedy for a wide range of disorders. These include diarrhea, menstrual cramps, eye problems, varicose veins, and circulatory conditions including venous insufficiency (a condition in which there is insufficient blood flow from leg veins back to the heart).
Does bilberry help with diarrhea?
Diarrhea: Bilberry’s anti-inflammatory effects may help control diarrhea by reducing intestinal inflammation (although efficacy has not been established). Bilberry leaves and fruit can be used to make teas and are also made into extracts. Bilberry extracts and capsules should be standardized to contain 25 percent anthocyanins.
What are the side effects of bilberries?
Tannins present in bilberries may lead to severe weight loss, muscle spasms, and even death if large amounts of concentrated extracts are used long-term. The safety of bilberry during pregnancy and breast-feeding isn’t known, so it is best to avoid use at these times.