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Bergamot: What It Is, What It Brings and How to Choose a Supplement
Citrus bergamia · Also known as Citrus bergamia, bergamot polyphenol fraction
Bergamot is the citrus behind Earl Grey tea, and its fruit polyphenols are studied for their effect on blood lipids. The supplement ingredient is the juice or peel extract, not the essential oil used in perfumery.
What is bergamot?
Bergamot is a citrus fruit grown mainly in Calabria, southern Italy. Its juice and albedo are rich in a distinctive group of flavonoids including brutieridin and melitidin.
Supplement products use a standardised bergamot polyphenol fraction. This is chemically different from bergamot essential oil, which is a fragrance material and is not taken internally at supplement doses.
Traditional and regional use
Bergamot has no African traditional use; it arrives as an imported extract in cardiovascular and metabolic formulas, and as a flavouring in tea.
What is bergamot known for?
Good to know. Supplements containing bergamot are food supplements, so their labels describe support for everyday wellbeing.
Several randomised trials have examined standardised bergamot extract in relation to total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, with a number reporting favourable changes.
Reviewers describe bergamot polyphenols as a promising ingredient for heart and metabolic wellbeing.
It accompanies, rather than replaces, lipid-lowering medication where that has been prescribed.
How is it used in supplements?
Bergamot polyphenol extract appears in cardiovascular, cholesterol-support and metabolic formulas, sometimes with artichoke, olive leaf or red yeast rice.
Forms and sources
- Standardised bergamot polyphenol fraction capsules
- Combination cardiometabolic formulas
- Bergamot juice concentrate
Safety
- Well tolerated in the published trials at studied doses.
- Bergamot essential oil is phototoxic on skin and is a different product entirely.
- Keep to the daily amount on the label.
Possible side effects
Mild digestive discomfort and occasional heartburn.
Interactions
Citrus extracts can affect drug-metabolising enzymes. If you take statins or other chronic medication, confirm with a pharmacist before adding it.
Who should seek professional advice
Anyone taking statins or other lipid-lowering medication, and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding.
How to choose a supplement containing bergamot
- Look for a stated polyphenol standardisation and the daily dose in milligrams.
- Check that the label names the fruit extract, not the essential oil.
Products containing bergamot
Products documented in African markets whose supplier material names this ingredient.
Supplement categories using this ingredient
Related health topics
Frequently asked questions
Is bergamot the same as the oil in Earl Grey tea?
The tea is flavoured with bergamot oil. The supplement uses a polyphenol-rich fruit extract, which is a different preparation with a different purpose.
Can it replace a statin?
No. Bergamot is a food supplement that accompanies your treatment. If a doctor has prescribed lipid-lowering medicine, keep taking it and discuss any supplement with them.
Related ingredients
References
- NCCIH — Herbs at a Glance
- NCCIH — Herbs at a Glance — US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: plain-language summaries of what is known about individual botanicals.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — fact sheets — Nutrient-by-nutrient fact sheets with intake levels and interaction notes.
- How we choose sources
Medical disclaimer. BioMedic Africa publishes consumer health information and supplement research summaries. It is not a pharmacy, a clinic or a medicines regulator, and nothing here is a diagnosis, a prescription or a treatment plan. Dietary supplements are foods, not medicines: they are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak with a pharmacist or a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, living with a long-term condition, or taking prescription medication.