Osterly Market Bilberry & Lutein Softgels

Bilberry fruit extract, with lutein named alongside it.

Bilberry and lutein together in a softgel, both ingredients named on the label rather than hidden in a proprietary blend.

What it's for

Bilberry is a European relative of the blueberry, rich in anthocyanins. It picked up its reputation from a wartime story about RAF pilots and night vision that has never held up in testing — controlled trials of bilberry and night vision are mostly negative. What bilberry does have is a reasonable antioxidant profile, and it pairs sensibly with lutein, which has better evidence behind it for macular pigment.

How to take it

• One softgel daily with food
• Take with a meal containing fat — both actives absorb better that way
• Give it three months before judging anything
• Bilberry may have a mild blood-thinning effect. Mention it before surgery or if you take an anticoagulant

On the label

• Bilberry fruit extract
• Lutein named separately
• 120 softgels

What this is not

• Not a night-vision product — that story is a myth
• Not a treatment for eye strain
• Not a high-dose lutein product

The straight answer

The RAF night-vision story you have probably heard about bilberry is not true, and the trials that looked for the effect did not find it. We sell it as an antioxidant, which is what it actually is.

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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. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription medication.