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Elderberries have long been cultivated for food and to make natural medicines. The latter are available in many forms, including syrups, teas, capsules, gummies, tonics, tinctures, and topical ointments. The ripe berry is tart and typically sweetened (like cranberries).
Treatment should start no later than 48 hours of the first appearance of symptoms. However, there are no universal recommendations as to the appropriate dosage to treat specific medical conditions.
As a general rule, an elderberry product manufacturer's recommended dosage should not be exceeded. Many commercial syrup manufacturers recommend 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of elderberry syrup taken four times daily to treat cold or flu symptoms. Elderberry lozenges (175 mg) can be taken twice daily.
Keep in mind that elderberry should never be used as a substitute for standard care. Self-treating a condition and delaying the standard care of treatment may have serious consequences. *
