Bilberry Extract

Single-ingredient bilberry extract reference formula with 100 mg per serving, developed as a capsule, with a powder option.

Bilberry Extract is a reference formula for brands building a single-ingredient botanical extract product with an example amount of 100 mg of bilberry extract per serving. The extract is the only active, so the development work centers on the anthocyanin grade of the extract, the deep color and light sensitivity of anthocyanins, and the capsule or powder system that carries it.

Capsule is the lead format because 100 mg of extract fits a small capsule with room for a larger amount, and a powder version at a higher serving serves brands that sell a drink mix. The reference labels range from 40 mg to 3,000 mg and mix extracts, whole-berry powders and freeze-dried berries, so the page is built around a standardized extract.

Ingredient Composition

IngredientPer ServingRaw Material FormAlternative Form (same amount of active)
Bilberry100 mg (example amount)Bilberry extract standardized to anthocyanins, for example the Bilberry Extract 25% Anthocyanins grade; specification 100 mg extract per serving, anthocyanin content and assay method set with the supplierGeneral Bilberry Extract Powder with a different anthocyanin content

Amounts are stated as mg of bilberry extract, not of anthocyanins. The anthocyanin amount per serving equals the extract weight multiplied by its assay, so 100 mg of a 25% extract carries about 25 mg of anthocyanins and the grade is part of the specification.

Intended Benefits & Formula Rationale

This formula is designed for products positioned around eye comfort nutrition. Bilberry extract is included as the single active so that the grade, the amount and the excipient system can be set without interaction with other actives.

Intended Benefit DirectionKey IngredientsFormulation Rationale
Visual comfort nutritionBilberryA 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 109 healthy adults gave 240 mg of standardized bilberry extract once daily and reported significantly better post-task values of an objective ciliary muscle measure at weeks 8 and 12 than placebo [1]. Evidence: Referenced
Night vision nutritionBilberryA systematic review of 12 placebo-controlled trials concluded that the hypothesis that bilberry anthocyanosides improve normal night vision is not supported by evidence from rigorous clinical studies, as the four most recent randomized trials were negative [2]. Evidence: Contested

The amount in each study was set by the study, so amount, claims and target market for a finished product are brand decisions reviewed for each sales market.

Available Formats

The bilberry reference formula is built for a capsule version and a powder version; counts per serving are design choices that the brand can adjust.

FormatUnitPer ServingPack SizeOther Ingredients (typical)Suitability
Capsule1 capsule100 mg extract60 or 120 capsulesDiluent (microcrystalline cellulose), glidant, vegetable capsule shellLead format; extract diluted to a standard fill
Powder1 stick pack1000 mg extract30 stick packsDiluent, sweetener, citric acid, flavorDrink mix; color and tartness need a balanced flavor system

Raw Material Input & Fill (Design Estimate)

Design estimates. The input is the labeled extract weight at an assumed 100% assay of the extract as purchased, so each unit uses the extract weight shown below; the anthocyanin content follows from the grade and is fixed in the specification.

FormatRaw Material Input per UnitDesign FillBalance for ExcipientsVerification Before Scale-Up
Capsule100 mg extract300 mg per capsule200 mgBlend uniformity, fill weight variation, anthocyanin assay, color
Powder1000 mg extract4000 mg per stick3000 mgDispersion in water, color, tartness, anthocyanin assay

Tablet, softgel and liquid versions are separate projects, because a dark, light-sensitive extract needs its own coating, oil or solution system in those formats.

Formulation Considerations

Anthocyanin grade sets the dose. A 100 mg serving carries about 25 mg of anthocyanins at the 25% grade, and a different grade moves that figure. The specification names the anthocyanin assay and its method.
Color and light. Anthocyanins are deep purple pigments that fade with light, heat and pH change. The blend is kept away from alkaline excipients, the units are packed in opaque containers, and stability is checked on the finished unit.
Extract, berry powder or freeze-dried fruit. The reference labels pool extracts with whole-berry powders and freeze-dried fruit in the same amount tiers. Whole-berry powders carry a much smaller share of anthocyanins per milligram and need a larger fill, so they are kept as separate projects rather than options on this page.
Evidence and tier. The trial in [1] used 240 mg of a standardized extract, and the review in [2] points to differences in dose and extract source between trials. The dose limit and the label wording are confirmed market by market, prior to product development.

Customization Options

Brands adjust the extract weight, the anthocyanin grade, the format and the add-ons.

ParameterRangeNote
Extract per serving100, 450, 500 or 1000 mgSample amounts for the brand; capsule count or stick size is adjusted to match
Anthocyanin grade25% and other gradesChanges the anthocyanin dose per serving and the input weight
FormatCapsule or powderTablet, softgel and liquid are separate projects
Pack size30 to 120 unitsSet by the brand
Add-onsLutein, zeaxanthinCarotenoids are oil-based and usually move the product to a softgel, which is a separate project

The pilot run confirms blend uniformity and color of the extract fill, dispersion and tartness balance in the powder version, and the anthocyanin assay of the first units against the specification.

Flavor Options

FormatSuggested FlavorsWhy
PowderBlackcurrant, lemon, mixed berryBerry and citrus profiles go with the natural tartness of bilberry

Technical Status & Data Sources

ItemStatusDetails
Reference formulaNIH DSLDThe ingredient and amount come from a labeled product in the NIH DSLD (100 mg on the label of CF000912; example DSLD labels 6446, 69195). The label names the ingredient as bilberry extract; an anthocyanin-standardized extract is set as the form.
SpecificationSet in formulationBilberry extract, 100 mg per serving, standardized to anthocyanins; anthocyanin assay and method, pesticide and heavy-metal limits are fixed with the supplier. Unit size, fill weight and stability are set in formulation.
Data sourceNIH DSLDDSLD v9.4.0, downloaded 2026-01-10: 50,824 reference formulas merged from on-market labels with complete ingredient amounts. Counts show how labels are distributed.
Market reviewPer marketDose limits, labeling and claims are reviewed for each sales market before a finished product is developed.
ReferencesSources[1] Kosehira M, Machida N, Kitaichi N. A 12-week-long intake of bilberry extract (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) improved objective findings of ciliary muscle contraction of the eye: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparison trial. Nutrients. 2020;12(3):600. DOI · PubMed<br>[2] Canter PH, Ernst E. Anthocyanosides of Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) for night vision: a systematic review of placebo-controlled trials. Surv Ophthalmol. 2004;49(1):38-50. DOI · PubMed

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