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Pomegranate Dosage
Because no adequate studies have been conducted on the safety and effectiveness of pomegranates, dosing guidelines have not yet been established. However, some studies that used pomegranates for treating high blood pressure used doses of 50 mL of pomegranate juice per day. For prostate cancer, one study used a pomegranate dosage of 240 mL of juice per day.
It is difficult to recommend a "dosage" for pomegranates, because they are consumed in so many different forms (such as whole fruit, juice, or various types of pomegranate extracts or supplements). These different forms may contain drastically different amounts of the active components of pomegranates. Also, even if this were not a problem, the best doses for pomegranates have not yet been scientifically established.
With prescription (and non-prescription) medications, researchers establish the most effective and safest doses in special studies, known as dose-range studies. These studies are done early in the development of medications, long before they are ever approved. However, because herbal supplements do not need FDA approval, dose-range studies are rarely performed. Without such studies, only vague "trial and error" information is available.
Some studies that have been done have used a dose of 50 mL (about 1.6 ounces) of pomegranate juice per day for treating high blood pressure. For prostate cancer, one study used a dose of 240 mL (8 ounces) of pomegranate juice per day. However, it is not known if these are the safest and most effective doses of pomegranate for these conditions.
If you are interested in obtaining possible pomegranate health benefits, it is probably most reasonable to try to incorporate more pomegranate fruit and juice into your diet.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD