Elderberry

What this is. Elderberry extract, taken through cold and flu season for immune support. One of the older folk remedies that stuck around.

500 mg of elderberry extract per two-capsule serving. The panel does not state an extract ratio, and without one, 500 mg of "extract" is a weight rather than a dose you can compare to anything.

What you are actually getting, per 2 capsules

• Elderberry Extract (ratio not stated on the panel) — 500 mg

500 mg across two capsules is 250 mg per capsule. That is the only arithmetic the panel supports. Where a label says something like "10:1 extract" or "standardised to 3.5% anthocyanins", we show you the working and give you the smaller, truer number. This panel states neither, so there is no working to show — and that absence is itself the thing worth knowing.

Worth knowing before you buy

An extract ratio tells you how much raw fruit went into the powder. A 1:1 extract and a 70:1 extract can both be printed as 500 mg, and they are not remotely the same product. Neither is stated here, and no anthocyanin content is given either.

That matters because elderberry research is run on specific, characterised preparations — a named standardised extract or a syrup at a stated concentration, dosed to a known amount. You cannot line an unspecified 500 mg up against any of them, and we are not going to imply that you can.

So: this is 500 mg of elderberry extract at a fair price, and that is the honest limit of what we can tell you about it. If you want something you can match to a published study, buy a bottle that prints a ratio or a marker percentage. We would rather say that here than have you find out at home.

How to take it

Two capsules a day with water. Sixty capsules in the bottle at two a day, which is 30 days.

Other ingredients

Gelatin. The capsules are gelatin, which is animal-derived, so this is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. The panel does not state the animal source of the gelatin. It declares no allergens.

Cautions

Elderberry has no widely documented major drug interactions, but it has not been well studied alongside immunosuppressant medication, so ask your doctor first if you take one. Raw or unripe elderberries and other parts of the plant contain cyanogenic compounds and should not be eaten — that is about the raw plant, not this extract, but it is the reason elderberry is a cooked or processed ingredient rather than a fresh one. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not use if the safety seal is damaged or missing. Store in a cool, dry place. Do not exceed the recommended dose. If you are pregnant, nursing, under 18, taking prescription medication or living with a medical condition, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting this or any supplement.

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.