Bilberry Extract Supplement Review
Updated Aug. 13th, 2024 | Read Time: 2 Minutes | What You Will Learn:
- What Is Bilberry?
- Bilberry Extract Health Benefits: An Antioxidant Powerhouse
- Eye Health
- Anti-Aging
- Collagen Support
- romotes Healthy Circulation
- Bilberry Extract Supplement Varieties
- Safety Information Of Bilberry Extract
- Nutritional Information
- Reader Comments (2)
What Is Bilberry?
Bilberry extract became valued as a medicinal agent during World War II when British pilots claimed that eating bilberries improved their visual acuity, night vision and ability to adapt to glare. Scientific studies have backed up these testimonials by uncovering bilberry’s antioxidant properties. Free radicals are unstable molecules that in their bid to become more stable must bump into healthy cells and cause damage.
Bilberry Extract Health Benefits: An Antioxidant Powerhouse
Eye Health
Bilberry’s antioxidant properties neutralize free radicals and therefore reduce damage to vessels all over the body, including those in the eye. Cataracts are caused by free radical damage in the lens of the eye and therefore bilberry may help protect against and heal cataracts. Other eye problems that Bilberry supports, include:
- Macular Degeneration
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Night Blindness
- Myopia
Anti-Aging
Bilberry has anti-aging properties because as an antioxidant, it protects the body against environmental pollutants, free radicals and other substances that lead to aging. Bilberry makes an excellent anti-aging skin supplement when taken internally and since it boosts collagen, can also have a positive effect on hair and nail health.
Collagen Support
Bilberry also stabilizes the connective tissue called collagen. Thus it is beneficial for conditions of collagen instability in the vascular system such as varicose veins, phlebitis, joints and heart disease.
Promotes Healthy Circulation
Bilberry inhibits blood clotting and can be useful to increase circulation in cases of atherosclerosis and diabetes. Therefore, if you have circulatory issues, you may want to consider a bilberry supplement.
Bilberry Extract Supplement Varieties
The berries of the bilberry plant contain the greatest concentration of the medicinally active ingredients, anthocyanidins. Supplements often contain the whole plant in encapsulated form. By purchasing supplements standardized to anthocyanadins one can be sure that there are some dried berries in the formula. Bilberry can be found in formulas for enhancing eye health and are often combined with other antioxidants, berries and herbs, such as eyebright.
Safety Information Of Bilberry Extract
Bilberry should be used with caution if you are nursing or pregnant. Bilberry can interfere with iron absorption and should not be taken at the same time as iron supplements. Bilberry may alter blood sugar levels and should be used cautiously in diabetics and hypoglycemics.
What benefits!!: I did not know that bilberry had so many uses in supporting health ranging from support of collagen and circulation, to promoting in eye health and even antiaging benefit. I suspected that the berry might not be commercialized in the US because of taste reasons, but searching online saw it wasn't unpleasant in flavor. Looking into it further, I found that though generally safe, if consumed in larger quantities the tannins in bilberry can cause severe weight loss, muscle spasms, and even death-so it makes sense that bilberry hasn't been commercialized in the US!
Hello Rachel,
Bilberry is a mighty little berry, indeed! Loaded with antioxidants, as you learned it offers benefits for eye health, overall health and provided anti aging benefits. Thank you for sharing more information that you gathered. We're glad this sparked your thirst for further knowledge.
Have a healthy day.