Polyphenols in goji berries and their health effects
What it found
Goji berries are rich in polyphenols, and extracts of the berries have shown antioxidant, neuroprotective, and metabolic effects in lab tests and animal studies.
Some human data suggest regular intake may slightly improve triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and fasting glucose.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Antioxidant activity
Goji berry extracts showed antioxidant activity in lab tests, and this activity was linked to their polyphenol content. Black goji berries often had higher antioxidant activity than red ones.
Neuroprotective effects
In animal models of Alzheimer's disease and other brain conditions, goji berry extracts improved memory and reduced markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain. Lab tests also showed that goji compounds can inhibit enzymes linked to neurodegeneration.
Anticancer activity
In lab tests on breast cancer cells, goji berry extract showed antitumor properties and did not harm normal human cells. The authors note that more studies are needed to understand how polyphenols work and how they are absorbed.
Studies in people and animals
Metabolic effects
Three weeks of regular goji consumption in people led to a decrease in triglyceride levels, an increase in HDL cholesterol by about 10 to 15 mg/dL, and a reduction in fasting glucose by about 6 to 7 mg/dL. Lab and animal studies found that goji extracts can inhibit enzymes that raise blood sugar and reduce body weight in animals.
Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial
In animal studies, goji anthocyanins reduced inflammation in various tissues. Lab tests showed that goji extracts can inhibit the growth of some bacteria, but not all, and had little or no antifungal effect.
Other findings
Polyphenol content varies
The amount of polyphenols in goji berries depends on the species, cultivar, place of origin, stage of ripeness, and how the berries are processed. Black goji berries generally had higher total polyphenol content than red ones.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that goji berries are rich sources of bioactive polyphenols with a wide range of health-promoting effects.
- They advise that further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of action of polyphenols, their metabolites, and their interaction with the microbiome.
- They also note that no studies have focused on the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of polyphenols in goji berries.
How it was done
The authors wanted to summarise the individual polyphenolic substances in different goji species and their health benefits, because most research has focused on polysaccharides and carotenoids rather than polyphenols.
They reviewed published studies on the polyphenol content of Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense, and Lycium ruthenicum berries, and on the antioxidant, neuroprotective, metabolic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects of these berries. The studies included lab tests, animal experiments, and some human data.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the health effects described come from lab tests or animal studies, so they cannot show what happens in people.
- The human data on metabolic effects are limited and do not prove cause and effect.
- The review does not provide information on long-term safety or side effects of regular goji consumption.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Author Simona Morvay Tinakova was employed by the company Medic Cells s.r.o., 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia; Slovak University of Agriculture, Slovakia; Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Czech Republic
The paper
- Title
- Polyphenolic Spectrum of Goji Berries and Their Health-Promoting Activity
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Jurikova T, Tinakova SM, Ziarovska J, et al (2025). Polyphenolic Spectrum of Goji Berries and Their Health-Promoting Activity. Foods (Basel, Switzerland). doi:10.3390/foods14081387Free full textPubMed 40282788DOI
Summary written 29 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error