[Graeme]

Echinacea 'can prevent a cold'

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')aking the herbal remedy echinacea can more than halve the risk of catching a common cold, US researchers say.
They found it decreased the odds of developing a cold by 58% and the duration of colds by a day-and-a-half.

In one of the 14 studies the researchers reviewed, echinacea was taken alongside vitamin C. This combination reduced cold incidence by 86%.

When echinacea was used alone it reduced cold incidence by 65%.

He said people with impaired immune function might benefit from taking echinacea during the winter months to prevent colds and flu, but that healthy people did not require long-term preventative use.

[Tanada]

If it is taken with Vitamin C then how do you differentiate the effects to know what causes the bigger health boost?

[HamRadioRocks]

I thought that there was a study saying that echinacea does NOT work.

[WatchfulEye]

There have been many studies of echniacea, the vast majority, inconclusive or failing to demonstrate a beneficial effect.

What's interesting about this study is that, it has taken the results from 14 different studies and combined them, so that a more sophisticated analysis could be performed. This allows this study to detect an effect which may have been too small to detect in smaller studies. This is a technique called 'meta analysis'.

Of course, there are problems with meta analysis - they only included studies that had been published. Studies that fall flat on their face, because they find absolutely nothing of value may not get published. So meta analyses may be biased to finding a beneficial effect where one doesn't exist. It is also highly susceptible to the quality of the original studies - flaws in the original studies are easily propagated into the meta analysis.

Nevertheless, an interesting result, and one that should encourage further study. Echninacea is a reasonably safe remedy (about the same level of safety as conventional cold and 'flu remedies), so if it can actually shorten the duration of symptoms then surely it must be recommended.

My only concern is that, currently the sale of herbal remedies is not regulated to the extent that the sale of drugs are. There is no need for those selling them to know whether the remedy is appropriate, what its side effects are, and who shouldn't take it. I recently took a look at a number of echniacea preparations at some local health food stores, and asked some of the staff for advice - Not a single package, nor a single staff member, knew that echniacea should not be taken be people with asthma (because it can trigger or worsen attacks).

[xrotaryguy]

Based on my personally experiences, I would say that echinacea works well to prevent colds. I use an immunosuppressive drug and so I take lots of vitamin c and echinacea. Back when I was only using vitamin c, I had a harder time fighting off colds. With echinacea, it is easier.

[holmes]

Echinacea, Andrographis Paniculata, raw live olive leaf extract, 7 keto dhea, colloidal minerals and a raw food diet will destroy viruses in vitro. Treats viruses like mike tyson treated opponents in his prime. KO.

[killJOY]

Everyone should read this:

from The Skeptic's Dictionary.