At this time of year, colds and influenza cases strike many households. Each year, approximately 5 to 20 % of Americans will contract the flu. Although most will recover without incident, flu-related complications typically lead to at least 200,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 and 60,000 deaths each year. The use of homeopathic products has gained much traction lately as a means of either preventing or treating these illnesses. In this article, we explore whether common products like zinc, vitamin C, and elderberry have a significant impact on our health and immune response, examining the scientific evidence behind their efficacy.
Elderberries and Ancient Medicinal Treatment
The deep red-violet elderberries, fruit of the flowering plants categorized within the genus Sambucus, have a long and colorful history as a traditional folklore medicine. According to Integrative Medicine specialist Dr. Naoki Umeda, “Elderberry is a common ingredient in traditional Native American and European medicine. It’s perhaps best known today as a natural treatment for colds and flu, but advocates say it works on everything from headaches to sciatica. You can buy elderberry products in many forms, ranging from pills and syrups to lozenges and lotions.”
Elderberries offer a host of benefits; low in calories but high in antioxidants, they come packed with dietary fiber as well as vitamin C. However, research into their medicinal properties remains scarce, with the best evidence based on personal anecdotal experiences rather than precisely controlled experiments. Studies that do exist often yield contradictory results, owing to some factors ~
- Small sample size
- Trouble controlling outside factors
- Variations in specific types of elderberries
- Differences in the age, preparation, and dosing of the elderberry
While the United States National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health claims not to have enough solid evidence to expound upon the berry’s healing properties, many professionals still uphold many health claims associated with the use of elderberries, including the following ~
1. May combat cold, flu, and other respiratory infections: Studies have led to mixed results. In 2019, one study revealed that elderberry can fight the flu in a variety of ways; however, just 1 year later, a different study found no evidence that elderberries could lessen either the duration or the severity of a case of influenza.
2. May support heart health: Results from an in vitro study conducted in 2024 seemed to suggest that elderberry consumption may help decrease cholesterol levels without impairing the liver. However, more research will help to clarify these results.
3. May help balance blood sugar: Although research continues, preliminary studies suggest that elderberries may reduce both blood sugar levels and insulin production without inciting any major side effects. More human testing will uncover whether elderberries might serve as a useful dietary addition for those individuals managing diabetes.
4. May promote gut health: Like many other fruits, elderberries contain fiber and antioxidants, both very important components of a healthy gut microbiome. As such, the elderberry may serve as an effective laxative to combat occasional constipation.
5. May support healthy skin: Once again focusing upon the elderberry’s high antioxidant level, a 2023 study revealed that fermented elderberry extract could potentially reduce inflammation and protect epithelial cells from age/sun damage. Additional research will determine whether fermented elderberry extract might serve as a key ingredient in anti-aging lotions and creams.
6. May have antiviral properties: This hotly debated topic continues to the present day. Despite a few promising research results, scientists still lack sufficient evidence that elderberry products can actually kill viruses. In the case of COVID-19, elderberries may even prove dangerous, inciting what experts refer to as a “cytokine storm”, sending an individual’s immune system dangerously into overdrive, resulting in tissue damage and/or organ failure.
7. May have antibacterial properties: While the phenolic acids and flavonoids inherent in elderberries do confer a modicum of antibacterial properties, scientists cannot ascertain whether results performed on humans will in fact mirror those which the in vitro tests revealed.
8. May have cancer-fighting properties: Once again relying only upon test tube experiments, it appears that certain phytochemicals in elderberries may serve as cancer-fighting agents.
Contraindications for Use
While the elderberry may seem innocuous on its own, it can, in fact, cause some health concerns in certain individuals. Since the elderberry does possess some naturally occurring diuretic properties, ingestion may exacerbate results from any diuretic medications an individual may take. Similarly, individuals with delicate GI systems run the risk of nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea when consuming elderberries.
Science Calls the Shots
In this portion of the article, we will look at several in-depth research studies, focusing mostly on the anti-viral properties of elderberries and their related products.
Elderberry extract possesses antiviral activity as well as anti-inflammatory activity, which lends it to potentially shortening the duration of the more bothersome cold and flu symptoms. Most of these symptoms arise not directly as a result of the virus itself, but rather from the body’s inflammatory response to the virus. If elderberry extract can lessen the body’s inflammatory response, it might go a long way towards helping people with the flu feel better.
Limited studies have found that elderberry consumption can ease flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough, body aches, and headache. One study indicated that elderberry use could shorten the duration of flu symptoms by as much as 50%. However, individuals tend to see the greatest benefits only if they begin taking elderberry extract within the first 24-48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
As previously mentioned, the antiviral activities attributed to both elder flowers and elderberries align with their flavonoid contents. Scientists have confirmed the antiviral effects of pure flavonoids against herpes simplex virus type 1, Parainfluenza, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
During the spread of Influenza viral infections, the secondary infections caused by bacteria can lead to severe pneumonia. Elderberry extracts exhibit the ability to decrease the populations of Streptococcus pyogenes and Branhamella catarrhalis by more than 70% in one experiment. Again, we must stress that any herbal/homeopathic remedy should not replace an antibiotic when a physician deems it necessary.
The other mechanism responsible for the antiviral activity of elderberry in the treatment of colds and influenza relates to its immune-modulatory effects vis-à-vis its potent anthocyanin content. The immune-modulatory effects of elderberry extracts elicit cytokine production; evidence exists that elderberry compounds can elicit phagocyte activation and their ability to travel to areas of inflamed tissues. Elderberry extract was shown to lead to increased influenza viral antibodies when compared to a placebo group. A research study conducted in 2017 also showed that the strong immune modulatory effects of elderberries relate directly to their pectic polysaccharides.
Can Zinc Supplements Work as Magic Bullets?
Zinc plays a key role in a multitude of bodily functions, including the immune system. Studies have shown that zinc can serve as an effective tool in preventing and treating colds and influenza. Zinc works by inhibiting the replication process of those viruses responsible for causing colds and flu. Studies have also indicated that consuming zinc within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms can significantly reduce the duration of a cold, sometimes by up to 40%.
The latest interest surrounding the curative properties of zinc came about from a report by the Cochrane Collaboration, a global network of scientists, patients, and physicians who evaluate the evidence on hundreds of different treatments. In the latest review on how zinc affects the common cold, researchers Meenu Singh and Rashmi R. Das pooled the results of 13 research studies that had experimented with using zinc for treating colds. By their analysis, taking zinc within 24 hours of first noticing the signs of a cold could shorten the cold by one day. They also found that taking zinc made colds a bit less severe. That may not seem statistically significant, but to the individual suffering from the illness, one day can make a big difference.
Blocking the Virus
A subset of viruses known as rhinoviruses grows particularly well in the nose and throat of humans. More than 100 different strains of rhinoviruses currently exist, and all of them can cause problems. Scientists found that zinc actually blocked the rhinovirus from entering the body’s cells.
To test this theory, a study conducted in 1984 used zinc in the form of a tablet/lozenge that dissolved easily in the mouth. The researchers compared people taking zinc with those taking a placebo lozenge. The study found that zinc shortened the time during which individuals reported feeling ill due to their colds. However, it also reported a lot of side effects.
Compared with the subjects who used the placebo lozenge, those who consumed zinc lozenges commonly complained of gastric upset, problems with taste, and mouth irritation. Other side effects of taking zinc can prove more serious; some individuals who used zinc nasal sprays suffered a permanent loss of smell.
Researchers cannot say with any degree of certainty why zinc works in some studies and not others. For one thing, the quantity and concentration of zinc do not seem clearly defined. Also, the methodology as to why the adverse reactions target some individuals taking zinc remains unclear.
Zinc Occurs Naturally in Foods
Some of the best food sources of zinc include oysters, beef, pork, chicken, legumes, nuts, and seeds. For individuals choosing to adhere to a vegetarian/ vegan lifestyle, beans, nuts, and seeds provide ample amounts of zinc; however, the zinc does not get absorbed into the body from these sources as well as it does from animal proteins.
Supplemental Zinc
If one chooses to supplement with zinc during the cold and flu season, it typically comes in two forms—oral zinc (e.g., lozenges, tablets, syrup) and intranasal zinc (e.g., swabs and gels). While we mentioned previously that an analysis of clinical trials found that oral zinc helps to reduce the length of colds when taken within 24 hours after symptoms start, the intranasal zinc often leads to the severe, irreversible loss of the sense of smell.
Final Thoughts
Not all remedies, homeopathic or pharmaceutical, will perform equally well for everyone. Some can provide the immune system with that extra edge it needs during the winter months, while others seem like more hype than help. We can think of zinc as the quiet defender who keeps the other players in the game. From helping the white blood cells fight invaders to slowing viral replication, zinc keeps the immune system from failing when we need it the most.
Best absorbed forms of supplemental zinc include zinc picolinate, citrate, and gluconate. The typical dosage hovers around 15–30 mg daily. If one ingests over 50 mg, one runs the risk of disrupting the body’s delicate copper balance, critical for energy and red blood cell production.
Zinc helps keep one’s defenses sharp, Vitamin C protects from burnout, and elderberry brings powerful antioxidant punches when we need them the most. The secret to these, and any over-the-counter products, remains consistent: use them wisely.
Although the current evidence seems promising, the public awaits much more research in order to fully understand the efficacy of elderberry and/or zinc for treating colds and the flu. As personal trainers working with a variety of clients, we must remember this and stress to them that while elderberry could potentially help with flu symptoms, it should not serve as a substitute for receiving an annual flu vaccine.
References
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7347422/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15080016/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33827515/
https://www.healthline.com/health/elderberry-for-flu
https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-elderberry
https://www.novanthealth.org/healthy-headlines/elderberry-syrup-for-flu
https://themintnutrition.com/do-zinc-vitamin-c-and-elderberry-really-work-for-cold-and-flu/
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/tips-natural-products-for-the-flu-and-colds-what-does-the-science-say
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/zinc-for-the-common-cold-not-for-me-201102171498#:~:text=They%20also%20found%20that%20taking,including%20bad%20taste%20and%20nausea.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/expert-answers/zinc-for-colds/faq-20057769#:~:text=There%20is%20no%20guarantee%20that,or%20serious%20in%20some%20cases.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/elderberry-benefits
