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Bilberry

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Bilberry. Anthocyanin-rich berry traditionally used for night vision and vascular support.

How it works. Anthocyanins regenerate rhodopsin and strengthen capillary integrity.

What the research supports. 2 graded claims. Strongest: Improves capillary fragility (moderate).

How much to take. Typical dose: 120–240 mg standardized.

Side effects and interactions. 1 medication interaction listed. Serious: Discontinue and seek medical advice if symptoms are severe, persistent, or include difficulty breathing.

Stacking. Pairs well with Omega-3, CoQ10.

Common forms. Available as Standardized anthocyanins 25%.

Key studies. 9 studies cited. The strongest are listed with links to PubMed.

Community. Experiences from people who have tried Bilberry. Anecdotes are not medical advice.

Bilberry. Anthocyanin-rich berry traditionally used for night vision and vascular support.

Key compound: cyanidin 3-glucosideC21H21O11+ · 449.4 g/mol

What it is

Anthocyanin-rich berry traditionally used for night vision and vascular support.

Also called

Vaccinium myrtillus

Food sources

Vaccinium myrtillus

Goals

How it works

Anthocyanins regenerate rhodopsin and strengthen capillary integrity.

Pathways

  • Anthocyanin antioxidant

Effects

  • +Vascular integrity supports

What the research supports

Improves capillary fragilitymoderate
Night vision claims weakly supportedlimited

Strong: consistent results across large trials or meta-analyses. Moderate: several trials, mostly positive. Limited: small or mixed studies. Preclinical: animal or cell research only.

Typical dose
120–240 mg standardized
TimingConsistent daily timing recommended; split larger doses if GI tolerance is a concern.
With foodEither with or without food.
Best formMost evidence is based on the standardized anthocyanins 25% form.
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Side effects & interactions

Common side effects

  • Bilberry is generally well-tolerated at evidence-based doses
  • Mild GI discomfort (nausea, loose stools, or bloating) possible at higher intakes
  • Headache or transient fatigue reported by a small fraction of users

Serious

  • Discontinue and seek medical advice if symptoms are severe, persistent, or include difficulty breathing

Medication interactions

Anticoagulantsminor

Mild antiplatelet.

Check any supplement–medication combination with your pharmacist before starting.

Combines with

Pairs well

  • Omega-3Anti-inflammatory cardiovascular synergy.
  • CoQ10Supports mitochondrial energetics in cardiac tissue.

Common forms

  • Standardized anthocyanins 25%

Key studies

9 studies cited in total.

PubMed: Bilberry — Improves capillary fragility ↗
Systematic review · PubMed (NLM) · 2026

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Bilberry and "Improves capillary fragility". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

PubMed: Bilberry — Night vision claims weakly supported ↗
Systematic review · PubMed (NLM) · 2026

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Bilberry and "Night vision claims weakly supported". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

PubMed: Bilberry — randomized controlled trial ↗
Systematic review · PubMed (NLM) · 2026

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Bilberry and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

Discussion

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