Bilberry supplement and recovery after a heart attack in people
What it found
People who took freeze-dried bilberry powder for 8 weeks after a heart attack walked further in a timed test than those who did not.
Their blood also showed lower levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol.
What they found
Studies in people
Walking distance improved
The bilberry group walked an average of 38 m further in a 6-minute walking test compared to the control group after 8 weeks. This was the main physical measure the researchers tracked.
Oxidized LDL cholesterol fell
A type of damaged cholesterol called oxidized LDL was about 20% lower in the bilberry group compared to the control group after 8 weeks. Total cholesterol and regular LDL cholesterol did not differ between the two groups.
Inflammation marker unchanged
The main blood marker for inflammation did not differ between the bilberry group and the control group after 8 weeks. Both groups saw their inflammation levels drop from the start of the trial.
Berry compounds in blood
Levels of breakdown products from berry pigments rose in the blood of the bilberry group over the 8 weeks. These levels stayed different from the control group by the end of the trial, showing participants took the powder as instructed.
What the authors conclude
- They found that adding bilberry powder to standard care after a heart attack improved walking distance and lowered oxidized LDL cholesterol.
- They note that the study was small and open-label, so patients knew which treatment they received.
- They advise that larger trials where neither doctors nor patients know who gets the real supplement are needed to confirm these results.
How it was done
Bilberries are rich in plant compounds called anthocyanins, which might help the heart and blood vessels recover after a heart attack. The authors wanted to see if adding bilberry powder to standard medical care would improve heart risk markers and exercise ability more than medical care alone.
Fifty people who had just been treated for a heart attack were split into two groups for 8 weeks. One group took 40 g of freeze-dried bilberry powder daily along with their usual medicines, while the other group took only their usual medicines. The researchers measured walking distance, inflammation, and blood fats at the start and end of the trial.
What it can’t tell you
- Because patients knew whether they were taking bilberry or not, their effort during the walking test could have been influenced by expectation rather than the powder itself.
- This trial followed people for only 8 weeks, so it cannot show whether bilberry prevents future heart problems over the long term.
- With only 50 people, the study is too small to be certain that the changes seen would happen the same way in everyone.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Örebro University, Sweden; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden; Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
The paper
- Title
- Freeze-dried bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) dietary supplement improves walking distance and lipids after myocardial infarction: an open-label randomized clinical trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Arevström L, Bergh C, Landberg R, et al (2019). Freeze-dried bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) dietary supplement improves walking distance and lipids after myocardial infarction: an open-label randomized clinical trial. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.). doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2018.11.008Free full textPubMed 30803503DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error