Bilberry Supplements Review
Choose the Best Bilberry
Supplement. Some Bilberry Is Not Authentic!
Medically reviewed and
edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D. 
Last Updated
: 02/20/2021 | Initially Posted:
07/26/2013
Recent Reviews
·
Aloe Juices, Gels, and Supplements
Review
·
NAD Booster Supplements Review
(NAD+/NADH, Nicotinamide Riboside, and NMN)
·
PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)
Supplements Review
Table of Contents
What It Is:
Bilberry
(Vaccinium myrtillus) is often called European blueberry. Like a North
American blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), its
skin is dark blue or purple on the outside; however
its flesh is purple rather than light green and it contains a different mixture
of biologically active polyphenols known as anthocyanosides
(or anthocyanins).
What It Does:
Some evidence suggests that anthocyanosides
may benefit the retina (Vorob'eva, Vestn Oftalmol 2015),
as well as strengthen the walls of blood vessels, reduce inflammation, and
stabilize tissues containing collagen (such as tendons, ligaments, and
cartilage) (Jonadet, J Pharm Belg 1983; Chu, 2011. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and
Clinical Aspects. CRC Press/Taylor &
Francis).
Retinopathy
A small, double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial of bilberry extract found significant improvements in
retinal lesions in people with diabetic retinopathy or hypertensive retinopathy
(damage to the retina caused by diabetes or hypertension) (Perossini, Medicine 1987). Other studies have
also indicated benefits, although they were not double-blind.
Night Vision:
During World War II, British Royal Air Force pilots reported that eating
bilberry jam just prior to a mission improved their night vision. However,
clinical studies have not definitively confirmed this short-term benefit and
none have shown a long-term benefit. It would seem, at best, that there may be
a short term, e.g., 2 hour, improvement in night
vision. (Canter, Surv
Opthal 2004). In fact, even the report
regarding British pilots may have been a rumor intended to hide the fact that
the British were using radar technology, which the Germans did not possess (Tasman, Am J Ophthal
2007).
Other Uses:
The anthocyanosides in bilberry resemble the
oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs) found in
grape seed and pine bark; consequently, bilberry has been suggested for all the
same uses as those substances, including easy bruising, varicose veins, minor
injuries, and surgery support, but there is currently insufficient evidence to
support these uses.
Animal studies also suggest that bilberry leaves (rather than
the berry) may be help improve blood sugar control in diabetes, and also in
lowering blood triglycerides.
Quality Concerns and
Tests Performed:
Concern Over Bilberry Authenticity
Bilberry is a relatively expensive ingredient and there have been reports that
some bilberry supplements do not contain authentic bilberry and may, instead,
be composed of material from other less expensive plants (such as other berries
or black soybean hull) that contain some, but not all, of the anthocyanin
compounds in bilberry. If a manufacturer tests its ingredients only for the
total amount anthocyanoside compounds and not the
specific types and ratios of these compounds, adulterated ingredient can be
passed off as authentic bilberry (The Adulteration of Commercial
Bilberry Extracts, American Botanical Council 2012). The cost of
authentic bilberry extract is about $600 to $900 per kilogram, while
adulterated extract costs much less -- as low as $10 per kilogram, creating an
economic incentive for manufacturers to substitute poor quality material or put
in less ingredient than listed on labels. In fact, it has been reported that 60
tons of "homemade Chinese bilberry" (which is not authentic bilberry)
was exported from China in 2008, most of which went to the United States.
An analysis of bilberry
supplements purchased from European internet distributors and pharmacies in
Germany found that 4 of 11 contained far lower amounts of bilberry anthocyanins
than claimed (one appeared to have none) and/or were adulterated with anthocyanins
from other, less expensive sources. Three of the supplements were from U.S.
companies (Pure Encapsulations, Best Naturals, and Quality Supplements and
Vitamins Inc.) but none these products failed testing (specific product names
were not published) (Gaspar, J Agric Food Chem 2021).
Other Quality Concerns
Like other supplements, neither the FDA nor any other federal or state agency
routinely tests bilberry supplements for quality prior to sale. In addition to
the authenticity of the ingredient, other quality concerns include the
following:
·
Labeled Amount — Does the product really contain the
labeled amount of ingredient?
·
Purity — Is the product free of lead and other heavy metals which can
occur in plant-based supplements?
·
Ability to Break Apart for Absorption — Will the product
break apart properly so that it can release its ingredients in the body? For a
tablet to be most useful, it must fully disintegrate prior to leaving the
stomach, delivering its contents for absorption in the gut. Some tablets are
not properly made and can pass through your body completely or partially
intact, depriving you of its ingredients. This happens, for example, when a
tablet is too tightly compressed (too "hard") or is too thickly
coated.
ConsumerLab.com, as part
of its mission to independently evaluate products that affect health, wellness,
and nutrition, purchased commonly available bilberry supplements and tested
them be sure they possessed the claimed amounts of authentic bilberry and were
free from unacceptable levels of heavy metals. Products in tablet form
underwent disintegration testing to make sure they would properly release their
contents. All products were tested to check that levels of anthocyanidin
compounds were low, as these compounds (which are anthocyanosides
without attached sugar molecules) should normally be present only at low levels
in fresh bilberry and extracts; higher levels suggest degradation due to
incorrect storage and/or extract production. (See Testing Methods and Passing Score for
more details).
What CL Found:
Among eight bilberry supplements selected for testing by
ConsumerLab.com, two failed to pass quality testing and review for the
following reasons:
·
Kroeger Herb Complete Concentrates Bilberry contained only
62.2% of the amount of anthocyanoside compounds
expected from its listed amount of bilberry extract. Based on the label, the
suggested daily serving of 3 capsules should have contained 37.5 mg of anthocyanosides, but we found only 23.3 mg. There was also
an unusually large amount of one anthocyanoside
compound, cyanadin 3-O-glucoside, accounting for 85%
of total anthocyanosides. This suggests that this
compound may have come from a different source and was used to spike the
material, making it appear to be bilberry if one were checking only the total
amount of anthocyanosides and not the profile of
these compounds. Meanwhile, several expected anthocyanoside
compounds were not detected, further suggesting that the ingredient was not
authentic.
·
Nature's Sunshine Bilberry Fruit was "Not
Approved" by ConsumerLab.com because the tablets failed to fully break
apart within the required 30 minutes during disintegration testing, taking 40
minutes to fully disintegrate. It did, however, contain its listed amount of
bilberry extract.
Each of the deficiencies
was confirmed in a second laboratory. More details about the testing can be
found in How Products Were Evaluated. The other six
supplements selected by ConsumerLab.com passed testing, as did one supplement
tested through CL's Quality Certification Program.
Cost Comparison:
To help compare the cost of products, ConsumerLab.com calculated the cost of
obtaining 36 mg of anthocyanosides from each product.
We picked this amount, as this is what would be expected from 100 mg of an
extract standardized to 36% anthocyanosides -- the
type used in most clinical studies, as discussed in ConsumerTips™: What to
Consider When Buying.
Among the "Approved" products, the average cost to obtain these
compounds was 43 cents. The lowest cost, as shown in the last column of the
table below, was 23 cents from Yerba Prima Bilberry Extra Strength.
This product also contains the bioavailability enhancer Bioperine.
Bioperine is the trade name for piperine,
a compound from black pepper which inhibits specific enzymes in the lining of
the gut (such as "CYP" enzymes) which otherwise break down certain
compounds, and it may also affect the permeability of the intestine. However,
we are not aware of research showing that Bioperine
increases the absorption of bilberry anthocyanosides,
nor is the amount of Bioperine listed. So it is unclear to what extent Bioperine
will actually increase absorption of bilberry anthocyanosides
from this product. Nevertheless, Bioperine may
significantly increase the absorption of other compounds, so
it would be best not to take this supplement if you are taking medications
known to be metabolized by CYP enzymes such as phenytoin, rifampin, propranolol
theophylline, felodipine, amlodipine and nevirapine. If that's a concern, Source
Naturals Bilberry Extract was close in price at 26 cents for the same
amount of anthocyanosides.
Test Results by Product:
Listed
below are the test results for nine bilberry supplements. ConsumerLab.com
selected eight of these products. One product (indicated with a CL flask icon)
was tested at the request of its distributor through ConsumerLab.com's Quality
Certification Program and is included for having passed
testing.
Shown for each product is the claimed amount and type of bilberry and the
serving size recommended on the label. Products listed as "Approved"
met their label claims and ConsumerLab.com's quality
criteria (see Passing Score). The full list of ingredients
(including special dietary designations) is available for each product by
clicking on the word "Ingredients" in the first column. Price and
cost comparisons, as well as additional product features and ingredients are
shown in the last column.
|
RESULTS OF CONSUMERLAB.COM TESTING OF BILBERRY SUPPLEMENTS |
||||||
|
Product Name |
Listed Amounts Per
Daily Serving: Bilberry Extract or Herb |
-- TEST RESULTS -- |
Cost for Daily
Suggested Serving on Label |
|||
|
OVERALL RESULTS: |
Contained Expected
Claimed Amount or Anthocyanosides* |
Did Not Exceed
Contamination Limits for Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic |
Disintegrated Properly |
|||
|
Flora Bilberry Extract (250 mg of extract [25%
anthocyanidins] per capsule, 2 per day) |
500 mg extract |
APPROVED |
|
|
N/A |
$1.63 |
|
Kroeger Herb® Complete Concentrates® Bilberry
(50 mg of extract [25% anthocyanosides] per
vegetarian capsule, 3 per day) |
150 mg extract |
NOT |
Found only 62.2% of
claimed anthocyanosides. Profile of these compounds
suggests ingredient is not authentic bilberry.3 |
|
N/A |
$0.41 |
|
Life Extension® Certified European Bilberry
Extract (100 mg of extract [36% anthocyanosides]
per vegetarian capsule, 1 per day) |
100 mg extract |
APPROVED |
|
|
N/A |
$0.38 |
|
Nature's Sunshine® Bilberry Fruit (40 mg of
extract [25% anthocyanidins] per tablets, 6 per day) |
240 mg extract |
NOT |
|
|
Did not fully
disintegrate in 30 minutes (required 40 minutes). |
$2.00 |
|
Nature's Way Bilberry (80 mg of extract [25% anthocyanosides] per Vcaps, 3
to 6 per day) |
240 to 480 mg extract |
APPROVED |
|
|
N/A |
$0.55-$1.10 |
|
Source Naturals® Bilberry Extract (50 mg of
extract [37% anthocyanosides] per tablets, 4 to 6
per day) |
200 to 300 mg extract |
APPROVED |
|
|
|
$0.53-$0.80 |
|
Standard Process® Medi Herb® Bilberry 6000 mg
(60 mg of 100:1 extract [36% anthocyanosides] per
tablet, 2 to 4 per day) |
120 to 240 mg extract
(100:1 extract) |
APPROVED |
|
|
|
$1.10-$2.20 |
|
Whole Foods™ Standardized Bilberry (60 mg of
extract [25% anthocyanosides] per capsule, 1 to 3
per day) |
60 to 180 mg extract |
APPROVED |
|
|
N/A |
$0.23-$0.70 |
|
Yerba Prima® Bilberry Extra Strength (160 mg
of extract [36% anthocyanosides] per capsule, 1 to
3 per day) |
160 to 480 mg extract |
APPROVED |
|
|
N/A |
$0.37-$1.12 |
|
|
||||||
|
Unless otherwise noted, information about the products
listed above is based on the samples purchased by ConsumerLab.com (CL) for
this Product Review. Manufacturers may change ingredients and label
information at any time, so be sure to check labels carefully when evaluating
the products you use or buy. If a product's
ingredients differ from what is listed above, it may not necessarily be of
the same quality as what was tested. |
||||||
|
Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2013 All rights reserved.
Not to be reproduced, excerpted, or cited in any fashion without the express
written permission of ConsumerLab.com LLC. |
||||||
ConsumerTips™:
What to
Consider When Buying:
Make Sure It's the Right Berry
Check labels carefully to be sure the correct type of berry is listed. The
Supplement Facts panel on the label should specify Vaccinium myrtillus.
It's easy to be mistaken. When choosing products for this review, we came
across one supplement, for example, which had Bilberry displayed prominently on
the front label but preceding it, in much smaller font, was
"American." American bilberry is probably best known as huckleberry
and this was confirmed in the Supplement Fact panel which listed Vaccinium
membranaceum. Nowhere on the label was huckleberry mentioned.
Make Sure It's Concentrated and Standardized
Fresh bilberry contains about 0.3% to 0.7% anthocyanosides
(Prior, JANA 1999). However, the majority of
clinical trials have been conducted with an extract known as Myrtocyan® (or a related extract called Tegens® or MirtoSelect®)
standardized to about 36% anthocyanosides, which
means that 100 mg of extract delivers about 36 mg of anthocyanosides.
In fact, one the products in this Review, from Life Extension®,
specifically indicates that it is made from MirtoSelect
European Bilberry. These extracts are concentrated about 100 times -- the ratio
of starting material to powdered extract ranges from 153:1 to 76:1 according to
the United States Pharmacopeia (USP 36). Nevertheless, some bilberry extract
products on the market list ratios as low as just 4:1, which would not provide
more than a couple of milligrams of anthocyanosides.
It is okay if a product claims to be standardized to 25% anthocyanidins,
as this is equivalent to being standardized to 36% anthocyanosides,
since some manufacturers use analytical procedures which count just the weight
of the anthocyanidin portion of anthocyanosides,
excluding the weight of naturally attached sugars. However, products which
claim 25% anthocyanosides, would, of
course, be promising a less concentrated extract than those claiming 36% anthocyanosides. In this review, three products were
labeled this way: Kroeger Herb Complete Concentrates Bilberry (which
failed testing, as noted earlier), Natures
Way Bilberry, and Whole Foods Standardized Bilberry.
What to Consider When Using:
Most studies have used highly concentrated bilberry extracts standardized to
contain 36% anthocyanosides (or 25%
anthocyanidins).
For treating retinopathy due to diabetes or hypertension, a daily dose
providing 115 mg anthocyanosides daily was found
effective in a small study (Perossini, Ann Ottalmol Clin Ocul 1987).
For improving night vision, a variety of products and dosages have been used,
but those showing benefit provided at least 60 mg and as much as several
hundred milligrams of anthocyanosides per day (Canter, Surv
Opthal 2004).
Concerns and Cautions:
Bilberry
fruit is a food and, as such, is quite safe. When taken as an extracts, such as
in a supplement, a small percentage of people may experience mild
digestive distress, skin rashes, or drowsiness, as reported in one study (Eandi, Fitoterapia 1996).
Bilberry extract may also lower blood sugar and increase insulin
sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes (Stull, Antioxidants (Basel) 2016; Hoggard, J Nutr Sci 2013).
Consult with your physician if you have diabetes or hypoglycemia, or take
medications or other supplements that lower blood sugar.
Bilberry extract (equivalent to 173 mg anthocyanins per day) taken for one to
two months has been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation in healthy adults (Pulliero, Fitoterapia 1989).
There do not appear to be any published reports of bilberry extract causing
bleeding or interacting with blood-thinning medications such as
warfarin (Coumadin) but, to be safe, people who take blood-thinning
medications should consult with their physician before using.
Due to the potential for bilberry extract to affect blood sugar levels and
platelet aggregation, stop taking bilberry two weeks before surgery.
Safety in young children, nursing women, or
those with severe liver or kidney disease is not known.
Little is known about the safety of bilberry leaf. Based on animal
evidence that it can reduce blood sugar levels in people with
diabetes, it is possible that use of bilberry leaf by people with diabetes
could require a reduction in drug dosage (Cignarella, Thromb Res 1996).
+ 9 sources
Information on this site
is provided for informational purposes only. It is not an endorsement of any
product nor is it meant to substitute for the advice provided by physicians or
other healthcare professionals. The information contained herein should not be
used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Consumers should
inform their healthcare providers of the dietary supplements they take.