Lingonberry
OTHER NAME(S): Airelle, Airelle d'Ida, Airelle à Fruits Rouges, Airelle à Pomme de Terre, Airelle Vigne d'Ida, Airelle Vigne du Mont Ida, Alpine Cranberry, Cowberry, Dry Ground Cranberry, Foxberry, Lingen, Lingenberry, Lingon, Lowbush Cranberry, Moss Cranberry, Mountain Cranberry, Partridgeberry, Red Bilberry, Redberries, Red Whortleberry, Rock Cranberry, Shore Cranberry, Vine of Mount Ida, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Arándano Europeo, Airelle Rouge
Overview
Lingonberry is a plant. The leaves and berries are used to make medicine.
Lingonberry is used for urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, gout, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Lingonberry has chemicals that might help kill bacteria. It also contains chemicals that can help with inflammation (swelling).
In foods, lingonberry berries are used in jams, syrups, baked goods, and juice.
Lingonberry leaves are sometimes used as a substitute for bearberry (uva ursi) leaves. Don't confuse lingonberry for uva ursi, cranberry, or cramp bark.
Lingonberry has chemicals that might help kill bacteria. It also contains chemicals that can help with inflammation (swelling).
Uses
Insufficient Evidence for
- Infections of the kidney, bladder, or urethra (urinary tract infections or UTIs). Some research in women and girls 3-12 years of age with a history of UTIs shows that drinking 50 mL of a cranberry and lingonberry juice daily for 6 months can reduce the chance of getting more UTIs.
- Common cold.
- Dental conditions.
- Gout.
- Kidney stones.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Other Conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of lingonberry for these uses.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Lingonberry concentrate is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth appropriately. A drink containing cranberry and lingonberry concentrate has been used safely for up to 6 months. Lingonberry juice and berries contain chemicals called tannins, which might cause side effects such as nausea and vomiting in some people.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Lingonberry concentrate is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth appropriately. A drink containing cranberry and lingonberry concentrate has been used safely for up to 6 months. Lingonberry juice and berries contain chemicals called tannins, which might cause side effects such as nausea and vomiting in some people.
Children: Lingonberry concentrate is POSSIBLY SAFE for children when taken by mouth appropriately. A drink containing cranberry and lingonberry concentrate has been used safely for up to 6 months. Lingonberry is POSSIBLY UNSAFE for children when used long-term. It might damage the liver.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's LIKELY UNSAFE to use lingonberry if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Lingonberry contains chemicals that might cause genetic changes and harm to the fetus.
Liver disease: There are chemicals in lingonberry that might make liver disease worse.
Interactions
We currently have no information for Lingonberry overview.
Dosing
The appropriate dose of lingonberry depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for alpine cranberry. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
References
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- Kontiokari T, Sundqvist K, Nuutinen M, et al. Randomised trial of cranberry-lingonberry juice and Lactobacillus GG drink for the prevention of urinary tract infections in women. BMJ 2001;322:1571.
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- Ferrara, P., Romaniello, L., Vitelli, O., Gatto, A., Serva, M., and Cataldi, L. Cranberry juice for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections: a randomized controlled trial in children. Scand.J Urol.Nephrol. 2009;43(5):369-372.
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