Echinacea cuts cold incidence (big pharma eats their shorts)

Reuters ^ | 09/20/06 | Martha Kerr

[djf]

BOSTON (Reuters Health) - Use of echinacea, or extract of the purple coneflower, before the onset of full-blown symptoms of the common cold reduces the incidence by more than a half and the duration by almost two full days, researchers reported here at the annual meeting of the American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

There are approximately one billion colds reported annually, Dr. Sachin A. Shah told meeting attendees. He commented that 20 percent of patients report using nutraceuticals for symptom management. Of these, echinacea is the most commonly used.

Shah of the University of Connecticut, Storrs and colleagues conducted a search and ultimately a pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials on the subject.

The investigators found 14 studies that contained information on incidence in 1,356 patients and duration in 1,630 patients.

The team found that echinacea use cut incidence by 58 percent. Duration was shortened by 1.9 days compared with the colds of nonusers.

[I still care]

I've been using Airbourne. It has really, really helped.

Everytime my son brought home something I always caught it. Now I take Airborne when he gets sick and I haven't gotten anything since.

One thing, from what I understand Echinacea can be a little tough on the liver.

[I still care]

I'm pretty sure that's because it can stress your liver. So you have to give it a rest.

[Fiddlstix]

Meta study. Watch for the FDA to decide you need a script.

It's a relatively common herb. Just grow some if you want to.

[SW6906]

My doctor gave me very similar advice. Her comment: if your pee is not clear, you're not drinking enough water!

[SW6906]

I've heard Airborne works too, but it sure is expensive!

[I still care]

I use the Walgreen generic, Walbourne. It is 4.99, and my Walgreen has a jpackage where if you buy two you get one free. They have only one flavor though.

They remind me of the "fizzies" I use to drink as a kid. They would taste like it too, except you can taste the echinacea - tastes like someone stuck a bunch of leaves in it!

[Ditter]

Strong smells have always bothered me now even faint smells will choke me up. I had lunch with a friend yesterday, her perfume choked me up across the table from her.

I used Wisk detergent until it started giving me hives as well as asthma. Now I use All Free and have no problems.

I don't have many colds but when I do get one it always leaves me with a sinus infection. Now I wash my sinuses out with salt water and I never have a sinus infection and the colds don't last long either.

[pax_et_bonum]

Colloidal silver is also an excellent anti-bacterial and anti-viral treatment.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I've heard Airborne works too, but it sure is expensive!

It's a lot cheaper than being sick. ;)

I like the Walgreen generic version better, also, because it uses Splenda instead of the stomach-upsetting sorbitol as a sweetener.

[AppyPappy]

Yea but it turns you blue.

[pax_et_bonum]

Yea but it turns you blue.

No problem.

I'm an incurable optimist.

[Former Proud Canadian]

bump

[gopheraj]

Sambucol has elderberry extract and works fine. Easy to find. www.drugstore.com has it. Not too cheap though.

[Moonman62]

That's the problem. There aren't that many doses considering the cost. I liked Nature's Herbs that was around $8 for 100 capsules.

The key with these cures is to take them when symptoms first appear. I've headed off a colds with multivitamins too.

[Quix]

With my huge snoze, ZICAM swabs are a wonderful thing when used immediately at first symptom etc. And the oral spray helps when the mouth feels the least bit coldy.

Your regimen sounds good.

[Arizona Carolyn]

After years and years I have it down pretty well as to what works for what in the body. Don't just suck on the Zinc, elderberry, echinecia lozenges to suck on them, too much zinc can retard the immune system. Keep them on hand and at first scratch or the throat or being around people who are sick, suck on one every couple of hours until you are feeling better.

Goldenseal is a great natural antibiotic, but only take for 7 days on and then take at least 7 days off.... there is some good books out there on herbs, one I really like is written by the Tillfords called Herbs for Pets, but has good, indepth, information on herbs. Whatever herbs you buy, make certain you get standardized herbs..

I'm a big believer in homeopathy, too, and if yo have ever seen how fast it works when you find the correct remedy you'd know why.

[Arizona Carolyn]

It also brought my husbands PSA way down into the normal range after it had elevated a few years ago.

[Arizona Carolyn]

A friend of mine orders elderberry syrup from our local health food store.

[Arizona Carolyn]

That's not a suprise, bleach is very toxic. What are you taking for the bronchitis?

[ChildOfThe60s]

According to an MD I know that has conducted various studies on nutritional supplements, the reason you do not take echinacea continuously is because you can develop an allergic sensitivity to it by doing that.