Antiviral Elderberry for Colds and Flus

Whenever I have a cold or feel like one might be coming one, I reach for elderberry. Mostly, I use a syrup made from the berries, because it is a pleasant herbal remedy that always seems to revive me a little. The berries of the elderberry plant are well known for their moderately strong antiviral benefits that may work by reducing the ability of viruses to invade our cells. Though I use it for colds, elderberry has also been shown in two small studies to help relieve some of the symptoms of influenza compared to placebo. The doses used in these studies were between two to three teaspoons of the syrup multiple times a day. This matches my experience. I feel a greater boost from a larger dose of elderberry as opposed to the teaspoon many products recommend. Also, elderberry needs to be consumed often. Peak levels in the body are reached an hour after consumption and drop off quickly after that. Since elderberry is a very safe herb these fairly high frequent doses are usually not an issue.

Though my main reason to use elderberry is to help fight colds and sore throats, this isn’t the only benefit of elderberry. Elderberry has some immune stimulating attributes, but may also be an immune modulator. This means it may balance out either an overactive or underactive immune system. The berries are also very rich in antioxidants, particularly catechins similar to those in green tea. The flowers of elderberry are occasionally used in cold and flu blends since they can induce sweating and thereby help break a fever. Similarly, they can act as a diuretic and increase urinary output. A less common use of elderberry is to help with symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, maybe mostly because of this diuretic action. Elderberry is also thought to help the nerves and has been used for neuralgia and sciatica.