Citrus bergamot
Summary
Bergamot extracts are rich in flavanones, including HMG-flavanones with a proposed statin-like action. A 2026 meta-analysis of 9 trials found lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose, but rated the evidence low to very low certainty. A bergamot drink showed no effect in healthy adults, and some trials were co-run by ingredient makers.
Key facts
- 9 RCTs (615 adults): LDL fell by 39.5 mg/dL on average, total cholesterol by 44.7 mg/dL and triglycerides by 52.5 mg/dL; GRADE certainty low to very low, with 6 of 9 trials rated poor[1]
- 400 mg/day of a whole-fruit extract for 12 weeks lowered LDL by 7.6% from baseline (significantly more than placebo) in 50 adults with moderately high cholesterol; the maker supplied the tablets and a co-author was its employee[3]
- A bergamot-juice drink (400 mL/day for 12 weeks) did not change cholesterol, glucose or inflammation versus control in 45 healthy adults[4]
- Adding 1,000 mg/day bergamot polyphenol fraction to rosuvastatin 10 mg lowered LDL more than rosuvastatin alone in a 30-day open-label study[5]
- Pooled effects come mostly from trials at high risk of bias, and the meta-analysis authors say they should not be read as establishing clinical efficacy; an earlier 14-trial review also called for higher-quality studies[1][6]
- 5 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 13, 2026
How it works
ProposedBergamot is rich in neoeriocitrin, neohesperidin, naringin and the HMG-flavanones brutieridin and melitidin, which are proposed to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase like statins. In liver-cell experiments a whole-fruit extract activated AMPK and lowered lipid-synthesis gene expression. Human mechanistic data are limited.[3]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDL cholesterol and other cardiometabolic risk factors | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 615 · 2026 Adults, mostly with dyslipidaemia or metabolic syndrome, in 9 RCTs Form: Bergamot extracts and juice preparations · Dose: Varied by trial · Duration: Varied by trial LDL -39.5 mg/dL, total cholesterol -44.7, triglycerides -52.5, glucose -12.1, systolic blood pressure -2.1 mm Hg; HDL +5.6 mg/dL. Certainty of evidence low to very low. | 42746152 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| LDL cholesterol in moderately high cholesterol | Improved | Grade C | RCT · n = 50 · 2023 Healthy adults aged 18-70 with LDL 115-190 mg/dL, not on lipid drugs (Bologna, Italy) Form: Whole-fruit bergamot extract (Brumex) · Dose: 400 mg/day · Duration: 12 weeks In the extract group, LDL fell 7.6% from baseline (significant vs placebo), total cholesterol 7.8%, triglycerides 13.4% and apoB 8.7%, and HDL rose 4.8%; placebo LDL did not fall. No adverse events or withdrawals. | 37312672 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Cholesterol and glucose in hyperlipidaemia | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 237 · 2011 Adults with hyperlipidaemia with or without high blood glucose (Italy) Form: Bergamot polyphenol fraction (BPF) · Dose: Dose not stated in the abstract · Duration: 30 days Total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose fell and HDL rose. | 21056640 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| LDL cholesterol added to rosuvastatin | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 77 · 2013 Adults with mixed hyperlipidaemia (Italy) Form: Bergamot polyphenol fraction with or without rosuvastatin · Dose: 1,000 mg/day · Duration: 30 days Bergamot alone lowered LDL versus placebo, and bergamot plus rosuvastatin 10 mg lowered LDL more than rosuvastatin 10 mg alone. | 24239156 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Lipid, glucose and inflammatory markers in healthy adults | No effect | Grade D | RCT · n = 45 · 2024 Healthy adults (Parma, Italy) Form: Bergamot-based beverage (25% or less bergamot juice) · Dose: 400 mL/day · Duration: 12 weeks No difference from control in cholesterol, glucose, insulin or inflammatory markers; both groups improved over time. Well tolerated. | 38767145 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergamot polyphenol fraction or whole-fruit extract (capsules) | Varies[3] | No human pharmacokinetic data in the cited sources.[3] | No adverse events in a 12-week, 50-person trial.[3] | Cholesterol trials at 400-1,000 mg/day |
| Bergamot juice and drinks | Varies[4] | Urinary flavanone metabolites confirmed intake, but HMG-flavanone metabolites were not detectable.[4] | Well tolerated with no adverse events over 12 weeks.[4] | A 400 mL/day drink trial (no effect) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 400 mg/day of a whole-fruit extract for 12 weeks to 1,000 mg/day of bergamot polyphenol fraction for 30 days; a juice drink was tested at 400 mL/day.[3][5][4]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Who should be careful
- People on statins or other lipid drugs
- Effects on LDL add to rosuvastatin; changes to lipid therapy belong with the prescriber.[5]
- People expecting a statin replacement
- The pooled evidence is low to very low certainty and no trial measured heart attacks or strokes.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Safety first
Short trials report good tolerability; long-term data are missing.
How to read the label
Frequently asked questions
Does citrus bergamot lower cholesterol?
Trials suggest it lowers LDL, but a 2026 meta-analysis rated the evidence low to very low certainty.[1]
How much did LDL fall in the best placebo-controlled trial?
About 7.6% from baseline after 12 weeks of 400 mg/day in adults with moderately high cholesterol.[3]
Can bergamot replace a statin?
No trial has tested heart attacks or strokes, and the pooled evidence is weak.[1]
Is it safe with statins?
One 30-day study combined it with rosuvastatin for a larger LDL drop; longer combined safety is unknown.[5]
Does bergamot juice work?
A 12-week trial of a bergamot drink in healthy adults found no effect on cholesterol.[4]
Sources
- [1]Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Supplementation and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. Food Sci Nutr, 2026. meta-analysis
- [2]Hypolipemic and hypoglycaemic activity of bergamot polyphenols: from animal models to human studies.. Fitoterapia, 2011. RCT
- [3]Effect of Citrus bergamia extract on lipid profile: A combined in vitro and human study.. Phytother Res, 2023. RCT
- [4]Chronic consumption of a bergamot-based beverage does not affect glucose, lipid and inflammatory biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk in healthy subjects: a randomised controlled intervention study.. Food Funct, 2024. RCT
- [5]Bergamot polyphenolic fraction enhances rosuvastatin-induced effect on LDL-cholesterol, LOX-1 expression and protein kinase B phosphorylation in patients with hyperlipidemia.. Int J Cardiol, 2013. RCT
- [6]The effect of bergamot (KoksalGarry) supplementation on lipid profiles: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. Phytother Res, 2022. meta-analysis
What changed
- Initial editorial evidence review: source titles and years taken from NCBI E-utilities esummary (no retraction or expression-of-concern flags), every evidence row, dose, n and duration read against the PubMed abstract or full text, funding and author affiliations checked where available, and grades held conservative.