Blackcurrant

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Mood and mental alertness²

  In healthy adults, blackcurrant powder and juice inhibited platelet MAO-B, which was linked to better mood and less mental fatigue.

• Benefit

  Blood vessel health³

  In people, drinking blackcurrant juice daily improved blood vessel function and lowered a marker of oxidative stress.

• Open question

  Brain blood flow⁵

  In young adults, a blackcurrant juice drink increased blood flow to the brain during thinking tasks, though thinking itself did not improve.

• Open question

  Blood sugar after meals⁶

  In healthy adults, blackcurrant drinks slightly slowed the early rise in blood sugar but did not lower the overall response.

• Open question

  Blood flow during exercise⁷

  In trained triathletes, 7 days of blackcurrant powder lowered lactate during cycling and raised heart output at rest.

• Open question

  Saliva after smoking⁸

  In smokers, eating blackcurrant before a cigarette changed saliva flow and saliva germ-fighting levels.

• Benefit

  Muscle soreness after exercise⁹

  Drinking blackcurrant nectar twice a day lowered blood signs of muscle damage and inflammation after hard exercise, but soreness felt the same.

• Benefit

  Blood antioxidant levels after a meal¹⁰

  In men, blackcurrant juice raised blood vitamin C and antioxidant power after a high-fat meal.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Kidney damage in diabetes¹⁵

  In animal studies, blackcurrant polysaccharides improved blood sugar and reduced kidney inflammation and scarring in diabetic mice.

• Benefit

  Skin collagen and elastin¹⁶

  In animal and lab studies, blackcurrant extract kept skin collagen and elastin levels up, but this has not been tested in people.

• Benefit

  Blood vessel function¹⁸

  In lab studies, blackcurrant juice made blood vessel cells activate a pathway that widens vessels.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Blood sugar control¹¹

  Blackcurrant may help blood sugar, but studies are small and scientists do not yet know if it truly works.

• Benefit

  Urinary and reproductive health¹²

  Blackcurrant may help kidney stones and sperm health, but scientists do not yet know if it prevents urinary infections.

• Benefit

  Heart and blood sugar health¹³

  Blackcurrant may improve blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, but more research is needed to confirm this.

• Benefit

  Blood sugar and inflammation¹⁴

  Blackcurrants are rich in plant compounds that may help with inflammation and blood sugar control.

Found in some samples or products

These come from where it was grown, how it was processed or cooked, or what it was made into. They are not about the ingredient itself, so the signal does not count them.

• Mould toxins in juice¹⁷

  Mould growing on blackcurrant and cherry juice made patulin and other toxins during storage.

How it’s made and used

• How much the body absorbs⁴

  In people, the body absorbed less of the anthocyanins from blackcurrant juice than from elderberry extract.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.