By Will Conrad, graduate student in nutrition coordinated program
As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues to progress, many Americans are booking travel plans they may have canceled or postponed in 2020. Wearing face masks, social distancing, getting vaccinated, and staying home if you feel sick are the CDC's top recommendations to prevent the spread of disease. However, there may be additional steps we can take to help keep us feeling healthy and happy.
According to a 2016 study published in the scientific journal Nutrients, consuming elderberry supplements before, during, and after long-distance air travel may reduce the severity and duration of cold-like symptoms.
Elderberry is a dark purple berry that has been used for centuries by indigenous groups for treating everything from mild fevers to minor burns. Elderberry has gained recent popularity by researchers due to the health benefits provided by plant chemicals called anthocyanins. These are the compounds that give elderberries their dark, purple color. Elderberries also contain a host of vitamins and minerals, including zinc and vitamin C, contributing to their believed immune-boosting properties. Cell-culture and animal studies have shown that elderberry extract may help control blood sugar and even help with depression.
In the 2016 study, researchers from Queensland and Griffith Universities in Australia conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to test if the purported benefits of elderberry have merit in humans. Double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials are the gold standard in scientific research. In these studies, neither participants nor the researchers know who got the treatment until the data is examined, eliminating bias.
For this study, the researchers gave 312 economy class travelers either elderberry supplements or a placebo for the ten days leading up to and five days after taking at least a seven-hour plane ride. The 158 participants in the elderberry group took 600 mg of extract in the ten days leading up to their trip. Then they took 900 mg while traveling and after they reached their destinations. The participants were asked to complete surveys before supplementation, two days before travel, and another four or five days after arriving at their destination. The scores from these surveys measured their quality of life, whether the participants had an illness, and the severity of symptoms experienced. Participants were also asked to keep a daily diary.
While fewer participants in the supplement group experienced illness than the placebo group, 12 vs. 17, this finding was not statistically significant. What was notable was the number of days the participants felt sick and the severity of their symptoms. In those who experienced cold-like symptoms in the elderberry group, they felt ill for an average of 4.75 days, while participants in the placebo group felt sick for 6.88 days. Additionally, those in the elderberry group reported less severe symptoms, according to the surveys. Another exciting discovery was related to mental health. While there was no significant difference between the two groups, the participants' vacations improved their mental well-being.
The results of this study show that there may be some benefit to taking an elderberry supplement to help shorten the severity and duration of a cold when traveling. However, there are more straightforward and less expensive ways to improve your immune system's functioning. Getting adequate sleep, eating a large variety of fruits and vegetables, and consistently exercising are three simple tips to keep you healthy that won't break the bank. Remember, you should discuss with your doctor before deciding to take a supplement. While cooked berries and commercial elderberry products are okay to consume, raw elderberries and other parts of the elderberry plant are poisonous. Also, pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should avoid taking elderberry supplements, as there is currently not enough evidence to say that this won't harm you or your baby.