Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesSide EffectsPrecautionsDosageToxicityInteractionsHow to StoreSimilar SupplementsSources & What to Look For
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Uses
Side Effects
Precautions
Dosage
Toxicity
Interactions
How to Store
Similar Supplements
Sources & What to Look For
Hesperidin from citrus fruits is generally safe to consume. However, hesperidin supplements have been associated with a few side effects, including nausea and diarrhea. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have been diagnosed with a blood disorder, hesperidin supplements may not be right for you.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.
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What Are the Benefits of Hesperidin?
Hesperidin has been studied for the following conditions:
Read on to see what the science says, keeping in mind that supplements are not intended to treat the following medical conditions.
High Blood Pressure
Researchers in one clinical trial looked at 159 participants between 18 to 65 years with either prehypertension (a warning sign of high blood pressure) or stage 1hypertension.
The participants in this trial were asked to consume orange juice containing hesperidin for 12 weeks. By the end of the trial, the participants had consistently reduced systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading). They also had reduced pulse pressure, an indicator of arterial stiffness.
The results of this trial were dose-dependent, meaning that the more hesperidin one consumed, the lower their blood pressure became. The study was limited, though; it was conducted in participants with pre-hypertension and stage 1 hypertension, and thus may not be a good representation of the general population.
Stroke
Recombinant tissueplasminogenactivator (rt-PA) is used to treatischemic stroke. However, it is associated with adverse effects such assymptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage(SIH), also known as bleeding in the brain.
One study assessed the impact of adding hesperidin to rt-PA therapy in 341 people with ischemic stroke. The study showed that treating with hesperidin reduced the risk of SIH after rt-PA treatment. Compared to those who did not receive hesperidin, those who did also showed greater recovery within one day of rt-PA treatment.
Heart Attack
Researchers conducted another clinical trial with 75 participants between 40 to 65 years who had experienced a heart attack. They found that people who took hesperidin supplements daily had lower levels of inflammation within four weeks. Hesperidin was also found to increase fat and sugar metabolism, as well ashigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol(the “good” cholesterol).
Researchers concluded that a diet rich with hesperidin is associated with heart health benefits.Most participants were people assigned male at birth, so the findings may not be applied to the general population.
Hemorrhoids
In a 2015, researchers conducted a clinical trial of 134 individuals aged between 18 and 75 with acute hemorrhoidal disease. The researchers found that participants who consumed a mixture of the flavonoids diosmin, troxerutin, and hesperidin had reduced anal pain and bleeding within 12 days.
Diabetes
In 2016, researchers conducted a clinical trial in 64 individuals aged between 30 and 65 years with a history of diabetes for at least three years.
According to this study, people with type 2 diabetes who took hesperedin supplements had greater blood sugar control after six weeks. Hesperidin use also appeared to reduce inflammation and DNA damage in the participants.More research is needed to confirm and expand on these results.
Liver Disease
A clinical trial was conducted with 50 participants between 18 and 70 years old with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). You may know this disease as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Another clinical trial performed on 100 participants with MASLD found that hesperidin and flaxseed supplementation, alone or in combination, for 12 weeks improved sugar and fat metabolism and reduced inflammatory markers. The study was limited due to its design and potential for bias.
Further studies are needed to determine the long‐term outcomes of hesperidin supplementation in people with MASLD.
Cognitive Health
A clinical study in 44 healthy young adults between ages 18 to 30 showed increased blood flow to the brain two hours after drinking 500 mL of citrus juice containing a little over 42 mg of hesperidin.
In a clinical trial of 37 healthy older adults between 60 and 81 years old, daily doses of flavanone-enriched orange juice containing hesperidin showed beneficial effects on cognitive function.
Furthermore, the group that consumed orange juice with higher hesperidin content had better cognitive, executive, and memory function than those with a lower amount of hesperidin.
More human clinical studies with larger sample sizes are needed to understand how hesperidin enhances cognitive function.
Other Uses
In addition to the potential health benefits listed above, animal and/or test tube studies suggest the following potential properties of hesperidin:
Supplement FactsActive ingredient(s):HesperidinAlternate name(s):Cirantin, hesperidoside, heperetin 7-rhamnoglucoside, hesperitin-7-O-rutinosideLegal status:Over-the-counter dietary supplement (United States)Suggested dose:Doses vary depending on the conditions being treated. However, a dose of up to 1 gram (g) for 12 weeks has been used in clinical trials.Orange juice: 500 milliliters (mL) daily for up to 12 weeks.Safety considerations:Caution is urged in its use in pregnancy or when breastfeeding, bleeding or blood clotting disorders, and allergy or intolerance to flavonoids.Hesperidin may interact with prescription drugs, such as blood thinners, blood pressure-lowering drugs (including calcium channel blockers), and certain anticancer drugs.Citrus fruits should be avoided if you take certain medications.
Supplement Facts
Active ingredient(s):HesperidinAlternate name(s):Cirantin, hesperidoside, heperetin 7-rhamnoglucoside, hesperitin-7-O-rutinosideLegal status:Over-the-counter dietary supplement (United States)Suggested dose:Doses vary depending on the conditions being treated. However, a dose of up to 1 gram (g) for 12 weeks has been used in clinical trials.Orange juice: 500 milliliters (mL) daily for up to 12 weeks.Safety considerations:Caution is urged in its use in pregnancy or when breastfeeding, bleeding or blood clotting disorders, and allergy or intolerance to flavonoids.Hesperidin may interact with prescription drugs, such as blood thinners, blood pressure-lowering drugs (including calcium channel blockers), and certain anticancer drugs.Citrus fruits should be avoided if you take certain medications.
What Are the Side Effects of Hesperidin?
Your healthcare provider may recommend you take hesperidin for specific reasons. However, consuming a supplement like hesperidin may have potential side effects. These side effects may be common or severe.
Common Side Effects
Some hesperidin products list the following as potential side effects:
No side effects were reported in clinical studies assessing the efficacy of hesperidin supplementation on high blood pressure, hemorrhoidal disease, type 2 diabetes, and MASLD.
Severe Side Effects
No serious adverse effects were reported in a study evaluating the effect of hesperidin supplementation for heart attack.
In general, hesperidin is well-tolerated and safe. However, the following conditions were excluded in clinical trials looking into the therapeutic effect of hesperidin:
Avoid using hesperidin if you have a known allergy or intolerance to flavonoids or citrus products.
Dosage: How Much Hesperidin Should I Take?
Always speak with a healthcare provider before taking a supplement to ensure that the supplement and dosage are appropriate for your individual needs.
The following doses of hesperidin were used in clinical trials for various conditions:
Overall, most clinical trials use between 300 mg to 600 mg of pure hesperidin in oral supplement form. When hesperidin is consumed in the form of citrus juice, the typical dosage is 500 mL or about two full glasses of juice.
Since there are no official recommendations for how much hesperidin is safe and effective, it’s best to follow the dosage recommended on the hesperidin supplement you are using. If you’re not sure how much to take or in what form, consult with a healthcare provider.
What Happens if I Take Too Much Hesperidin?
Based on clinical trials, no more than 600 mg of hesperidin daily was safe for humans.
However, a daily hesperidin dose of 1 gram (equivalent to 1,000 mg) has been used in MASLD.Even though this dose is more than the daily hesperidin dose of 600 mg from other clinical trials, no side effects were reported.
The safety of long-term use of any of these amounts remains unclear.
Hesperidin may interact with the following medications:
It is essential to carefully read a supplement’s ingredients list and nutrition facts panel to learn which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included. Please review this supplement label with your healthcare provider to discuss potential interactions with foods, other supplements, and medications.
How to Store Hesperidin
Store hesperidin in a cool, dry place. Keep hesperidin away from direct sunlight. Discard as indicated on the packaging. Keep it out of the reach of children and pets.
Other flavonoids with antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory properties similar to hesperidin include the following:
The flavonoids listed above are similar to hesperidin in that they are citrus-derived. Hesperidin, naringenin,eriodictyol, naringin,narirutin, poncirin,didymin, and prunin belong to the flavanone subclass of flavonoids.
Apigenin, diosmetin, luteolin,rhoifolin, and diosmin belong to the flavone subclass, while nobiletin and tangeretin belong to thepolymethoxyflavonesubclass.Quercetin,kaempferol, and rutin belong to the flavonol subclass.
Depending on its use, hesperidin can be combined with other flavonoids. For example, diosmin and hesperidin are used together to manage chronicvenous disease.
Sources of Hesperidin and What to Look For
Hesperidin can be obtained via food or supplements. However, the poor absorption of hesperidin has led to an interest in developing hesperidin supplement formulations with enhanced absorption.
Food Sources of Hesperidin
Citrus fruits that are a source of hesperidin include the following:
Like other bioflavonoids, hesperidin works best when given withvitamin C.
Hesperidin from orange juice has greater availability compared to hesperidin from whole oranges. Moreover, hesperidin levels have been shown to be three times greater in commercially squeezed orange juice than in home-squeezed orange juice.
Citrus fruits, especially grapefruit juice, interact with certain medications. Please consult with your healthcare provider before adding them to your diet.
Additionally, reading the nutrition facts label is essential as some juices may contain high amounts of sugar.
Hesperidin Supplements
Hesperidin is available as capsules and powders. It is also used in tablet form with other flavonoids, such as diosmin.
The dependence of intestinal microbiota to convert hesperidin (the food-bound form) to hesperetin (the active form of hesperidin) suggests that the difference in gut microbiota between individuals contributes to variability in the absorption and metabolism of hesperidin.
The micronized 2S hesperidin form, found naturally in orange juice, has the highest rate and extent of absorption.
Few strategies have been developed to improve the bioavailability (how well something is absorbed) of hesperidin and hesperetin. One of the strategies involved loading hesperidin onto agents known as metallic nanoparticles and assessing it in breast cancer lab models. It was found that this formulation delivered hesperidin to tumor cells more effectively.
Another strategy involved offering hesperetin and other flavonoids, such as quercetin, to improve hesperetin absorption in breast cancer patients.
Mixing hesperidin withchitoolIgosaccharide(the degraded product of chitin, a major part of crab, lobster, and shrimp shells) enhances hesperidin’s water solubility (for greater absorption) and antioxidant effects.Furthermore, themethylatedform of hesperidin, also known ashesperidin methyl chalcone, is highly water soluble.
Summary
Hesperidin is a flavonoid derived from citrus fruits that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Human and lab studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of hesperidin in heart disease, blood vessel disorders, metabolic disorders, and more.
No significant side effects have been reported in clinical studies. However, caution should be taken if you have a history of bleeding or blood-clotting disorders and if you take certain medications, such as blood thinners, blood pressure-lowering drugs, including calcium channel blockers, and certain anticancer drugs.
It is also important to note that while citrus fruits are a source of hesperidin, they can interact with certain medications. Speak with your healthcare provider to discuss whether citrus fruits are appropriate for you.
42 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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