Bergamot

What it is

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) is a citrus fruit grown mainly in Calabria, southern Italy. Its essential oil is used in perfume, cosmetics and aromatherapy, and its juice has been used for high cholesterol [1]. Supplements are usually made from a polyphenol-rich fraction of the juice, taken as capsules [2].

How it might work

Bergamot polyphenols are proposed to lower cholesterol by activating AMPK, an enzyme that controls fat and cholesterol production, and by lowering the activity of cholesterol-making genes. This was shown in liver cells in a dish, not in people [3].

What the research says

Cholesterol. The strongest evidence is for blood cholesterol. A network meta-analysis (a study that compares many treatments across trials) of 131 trials with 13,062 participants ranked bergamot first among ten nutraceuticals for LDL cholesterol, with a reduction of about 1.21 mmol/L (46.8 mg/dL), though the bergamot result came from a relatively small group of studies [4]. A meta-analysis of 14 trials found bergamot lowered total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL and raised HDL, but products containing bergamot gave inconsistent results and the authors said higher-quality studies are needed [5]. A systematic review of 12 human studies found 75% reported a significant drop in total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL, with LDL falls ranging from 7.6% to 40.8%; studies differed widely in design and quality [6]. In a 12-week trial of 50 people with moderately high cholesterol, a 400 mg whole-fruit extract lowered total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and non-HDL cholesterol compared with placebo [3]. In a 77-person open-label study, bergamot polyphenols (1,000 mg a day for 30 days) lowered total cholesterol and LDL compared with placebo, and adding it to rosuvastatin 10 mg gave a bigger improvement in blood fats than the statin alone [7].

Weight. A 2026 meta-analysis of 11 trials of bergamot-containing supplements found lower body weight, body mass index and waist circumference, but heterogeneity was very high (I2 90% for weight and BMI), and the effect appeared mainly with doses up to 600 mg a day for 12 weeks or less and in people with overweight or obesity [8]. In a 90-day trial of 52 obese people with mild high blood sugar, a bergamot juice formulation lowered body weight and BMI [9].

Blood sugar. In a trial of 60 people with type 2 diabetes and high blood fats, bergamot polyphenols lowered fasting glucose, LDL and triglycerides and raised HDL compared with placebo [2]. A 90-day trial of 52 obese people reported an 18.1% fall in fasting glucose on the high dose [9]. These are small trials of specific products.

Fatty liver. In 102 people with fatty liver, 300 mg a day of a bergamot and wild cardoon combination for 12 weeks cut liver fat more than placebo (a reduction of 48.2 versus 26.9 dB/m on a scan) [10]. Because it was a combination product, the effect cannot be credited to bergamot alone.

Stress and aromatherapy. A systematic review found bergamot essential oil aromatherapy was probably safe and might reduce stress symptoms, but the studies were small and of low quality [1].

Doses used in studies

Doses vary by product. Trials used 400 mg of whole-fruit extract for 12 weeks [3], 1,000 mg a day of polyphenolic fraction for 30 days [7], and 650 or 1,300 mg a day of a juice-based formulation for 90 days [9]. Combination products included 600 mg bergamot phytosome plus 100 mg artichoke extract for two months [11] and 300 mg bergamot plus cardoon extract for 12 weeks [10]. The weight meta-analysis found benefits mostly at 600 mg a day or less [8].

Safety and interactions

Common side effects: the abstracts reviewed did not list specific side effects. A systematic review said the safety of bergamot could not be definitively judged because of publication bias and low study quality [1]. Upper limits: no maximum safe dose was reported in the studies reviewed. Medicine interactions: adding bergamot polyphenols to rosuvastatin gave a larger improvement in blood fats than the statin alone, so effects may stack with cholesterol medicines [7]. Because it lowered blood sugar in trials, people taking diabetes medicines may want to ask a doctor first [2]. Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no data were found in the studies reviewed. Kidney, liver and bleeding conditions: no data were found in the studies reviewed.

Caveats and open questions

Reviews describe the trials as heterogeneous, small and of limited quality [6][1]. The cholesterol meta-analysis found inconsistent results for bergamot-containing products [5]. At least one trial was run by employees of the supplement maker [11]. All lipid and glucose results are blood markers, and no trial has tested whether bergamot prevents heart attacks or diabetes.