Echinacea, a medicinal herb that came to prominence thanks to its use by Sioux Indians, can more than halve the risk of catching a cold, a wide-scale study has confirmed.
Taking echinacea supplements can reduce the risk of a cold by 58 percent and may also shorten the duration of a cold almost one and a half days, according to the paper, published on Sunday in the July issue of the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The study is a “meta-analysis” comparing the outcome of 14 published trials using echinacea.
One of the trials combined with echinacea with vitamin C, which showed the two together reduced the incidence of a cold by 86 percent.
The history of folk medicine resulting in useful medication has always been fascinating stuff.
Regular readers will know of my appreciation for the capabilities brought to many fields by computational analysis. No doubt some of these studies would be known to one or another manager of an individual study – still, it’s great to have cross-referenced info available on a group of similar works.
Link to the plant – .pdf
This should prompt another flurry of studies. However, all previous studies have shown no beneficial effects. Caution: potential snakeoil alert.
So, #2 offers nothing more than a statement without current opposing study sources – and #3 doesn’t know that C and echinacea are available OTC.
C’mon guys. We already know it’s Monday morning.
#3 – yeah, better the study was led by a shoemaker. 🙂
The only way to judge the veracity of a meta-anaysis is to review the methodology of the underlying source studies. My guess is that once you do that analysis, things will unravel quickly. Most controlled studies have shown that echinacea does absolutely nothing.
Years ago I used this along with Zinc that was also recommended and it did seem to stop a cold dead in its tracks.
Have been in perfect health for years now, so haven’t been able to test it.
Whether its valid or not, alternative medicine is fun to study just for the different views it brings forth. Also a good way to plan your garden.
9—On the contrary, you are being irrationally harsh. Science is after all based on skeptism ((why else test?)). So I think fairly the fall back position is to not trust “anything” or to wait until evidence is overwhelming from multiple sources==including those sources not funded by the entity wanting to sell you something?
First it was Vitamin C then Zinc now echinacea and Vitamin C. Yawn.
If you take people with iron deficency and give them Vitamin C, you will see an immune effect. Vitamin C increases iron absorption and iron is a potent immune system stimulator. If you already have enough iron, Vitamin C does nothing for your immune system.
What gets me is the one thing that works to boost immune system is increasing one’s endorphins. Instead of Echinacea, try munching something spicy. Also, laughter raises endorphins. So next time you feel a cold coming on, grab some chips and salsa and watch a few Seinfeld episodes.
If you think a pill is great, then you could call your doctor for a Rx of Tamiflu. I don’t know why anyone would take Echinacea over Tamiflu. I don’t get why people always think Herbs good, Drugs bad.
Here is a strange article on the placebo effect for those interested.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18524911.600
There may be more to this than most suspect. Sometimes I wonder if we have gone down the rabbit hole….
#14, jz
If you think a pill is great, then you could call your doctor for a Rx of Tamiflu. I don’t know why anyone would take Echinacea over Tamiflu. I don’t get why people always think Herbs good, Drugs bad.
Tamiflu is effective against influenza, not rhinovirus. Totally different.
Drugs are good, when properly used. Anti-inflammatories, such as Ibuprofen or aspirin help to lower any fever and relieve any aches and pains. Decongestants, such as pseudoephederine (Sudofed) help slow nasal congestion. Antihistamines help with sneezing. And other drugs can help with coughing.
So far there is no cure for the common cold, but it can be treated.
I’ve been using this herb using for years and this stuff really works, especially combined with propolis I’m able to control most colds and cut them off before they begin. As soon as I notice sniffles or scratchy throat I take the caps and next day like new. Coldwise echinacea marks a before and after in my life.