Precautions
May offer several health benefits
- Positive effect on the immune System. Echinacea is best known for its beneficial effects on the immune system. ...
- May lower blood sugar levels. High blood sugar can raise your risk of serious health problems. ...
- May reduce feelings of anxiety. Anxiety is a common problem that affects close to one in five American adults ( 17 ). ...
- Anti-inflammatory properties. ...
How effective is Echinacea?
Taking Echinacea by mouth is likely to be safe for most people in the short term. It has been proven that various echinacea products can be used safely for up to 10 days. Echinaforce (A.) is one example of a product that can be used. The Vogel Bioforce AG products, which have been used for up to six months, are safe.
Is it safe to take echinacea?
Some herbalists say you shouldn’t take echinacea for longer than 8 weeks. This is due to possible side effects. But a study in Cardiff in 2012 seemed to show that it is safe to take for up to 4 months. You can also buy echinacea ointment to help heal skin wounds. Echinacea injections are available in some European countries but not in America.
How long can you take echinacea for?
Many herbalists also recommend echinacea to help boost the immune system and help the body fight infections. General Uses Several laboratory and animal studies suggest that echinacea contains active substances that boost immune function, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects.
Does Echinacea clean your system?
See more
How much echinacea should I take a day?
The most commonly used preparation in the United States is a liquid extract of E. purpurea root; typical dosing of such a preparation would be 3 mL every three to four hours for the first one to two days of upper respiratory illness, then three times daily for the subsequent week.
What should echinacea not be taken with?
What drugs and food should I avoid while taking Echinacea? Avoid coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, or other products that contain caffeine. Taking echinacea with caffeinated products can increase caffeine side effects such as headache, increased heart rate, and feeling jittery.
Is echinacea good for Covid?
Brief overview: Current evidence suggests that Echinacea supplementation may decrease the duration and severity of acute respiratory tract infections; however, no studies using Echinacea in the prevention or treatment of conditions similar to COVID-19 have been identified.
Can you swallow echinacea?
When taken by mouth: Echinacea is likely safe for most people in the short-term. Various echinacea products have been used safely for up to 10 days. Some products, such as Echinaforce (A. Vogel Bioforce AG), have been used safely for up to 6 months.
Can you take echinacea with vitamin D?
No interactions were found between echinacea and Vitamin D3. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.
Does echinacea affect sleep?
Some side effects have been reported such as fever, nausea, vomiting, unpleasant taste, stomach pain, diarrhea, sore throat, dry mouth, headache, numbness of the tongue, dizziness, insomnia, disorientation, and joint and muscle aches. In rare cases, echinacea has been reported to cause inflammation of the liver.
Does echinacea help lungs?
There is no evidence that Echinacea or any other ingredient in herbal medicine can prevent or cure severe respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.
Is echinacea good for respiratory?
Echinacea is an herb widely used for the prevention or treatment of upper respiratory tract infection.
Is turmeric good to take when you have Covid?
Several mechanisms by which turmeric may alleviate anosmia or ageusia induced by COVID-19 are plausible. Curcumin has been shown to bind and block the active site of Mpro, the main protease utilized by COVID-19 to produce proteins required for viral replication from viral genomic RNA [10].
Can you take zinc and echinacea together?
No interactions were found between echinacea and Zinc.
Does echinacea boost immune system?
Extracts of echinacea do seem to have an effect on the immune system, your body's defense against germs. Research shows it increases the number of white blood cells, which fight infections. A review of more than a dozen studies, published in 2014, found the herbal remedy had a very slight benefit in preventing colds.
Which type of echinacea is best?
Echinacea is a coneflower used to increase the number of white blood cells. Among the three most popular types of echinacea, David Winston, RH (AHG), a registered herbalist, recommends taking the strongest, Echinacea angustifolia, alone or in combination with Echinacea purpurea and/or Echinacea pallida.
Before Taking This Medicine
You should not use this product if you are allergic to echinacea or if you have: 1. an autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or...
How Should I Take Echinacea?
When considering the use of herbal supplements, seek the advice of your doctor. You may also consider consulting a practitioner who is trained in t...
What Happens If I Miss A Dose?
Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra echinacea to make up the missed dose.
What Should I Avoid While Taking Echinacea?
Avoid coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, or other products that contain caffeine. Taking echinacea with caffeinated products can increase caffeine s...
What Other Drugs Will Affect Echinacea?
Do not take echinacea without medical advice if you are using a medication to treat any of the following conditions: 1. any type of infection (incl...
How long can you use echinacea?
When taken by mouth: Echinacea is LIKELY SAFE for most people in the short-term. Various liquid and solid forms of Echinacea have been used safely for up to 10 days. There are also some products, such as Echinaforce (A. Vogel Bioforce AG) that have been used safely for up to 6 months.
What is echinacea used for?
It is now widely cultivated for medicinal use. The leaves, flower, and root of several species of the echinacea plant are used to make medicine. Echinacea is most commonly used for the common cold and other infections, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
How long is echinacea safe for kids?
Stay on the safe side and avoid use. Children: Echinacea is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth or applied to the skin for up to 10 days. Taking echinacea by mouth seems to be safe in most children ages 2-11 years, although rashes due to an allergic reaction can occur.
How long does echinacea extract help with ear infections?
Early research shows that taking a specific liquid echinacea extract three times daily for 3 days at the first sign of a common cold does not prevent an ear infection in children 1-5 years-old with a history of ear infections. In fact, ear infections actually seemed to increase. Warts.
How long does it take for echinacea cream to work?
Early research shows that applying an echinacea cream (Linola Plus Cream) for 12 weeks can help reduce symptoms of mild eczema such as redness, swelling, itchiness, and dryness. It might take up to 12 weeks for the echinacea cream to show benefit.
Does echinacea affect the immune system?
Medications that decrease the immune system (Immunosuppressants) interacts with ECHINACEA. Echinacea can increase the immune system. Taking echinacea along with some medications that decrease the immune system might decrease the effectiveness of medications that decrease the immune system.
Is echinacea safe for breast feeding?
But until this is confirmed, it is best to stay on the safe side and avoid use. Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if echinacea is safe to use when breast-feeding.
Can you use echinacea on a package?
You may also consider consulting a practitioner who is trained in the use of herbal/health supplements. If you choose to use echinacea, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider. Do not use more of this product than is recommended on the label.
Is echinacea good for yeast infections?
Echinacea has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in treating the common cold, or vaginal yeast infections. Echinacea has also been used to treat ear infections, or increasing exercise performance. However, research has shown that echinacea may not be effective in these conditions.
Can echinacea be taken with a cold?
Echinacea is believed to work best when taken at the first sign of a cold. Although echinacea may not prevent a cold, this product might make cold symptoms less severe. Do not take topical (for the skin) echinacea by mouth. Topical forms of this product are for use only on the skin.
Can echinacea cause rash?
Echinacea applied to the skin in a topical form can cause an itchy or red skin rash. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Is echinacea safe for short periods of time?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Although not all side effects are known, echinacea is thought to be possibly safe when taken for a short period of time. Common side effects may include:
Can you take echinacea without medical advice?
Do not take echinacea without medical advice if you are using a medication to treat any of the following conditions: any type of infection (including HIV, malaria, or tuberculosis ); anxiety or depression; asthma or allergies; cancer; erectile dysfunction; heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD );
Can echinacea be used as a supplement?
Echinacea should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor. Echinacea is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs.
How long can you take echinacea?
Researchers think it’s safe to take echinacea for short-term use —about eight weeks but possibly up to four months. There hasn’t been enough study to know whether long-term use is safe. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking it because echinacea is known to have some side effects and could possibly interact with some medications. Potential side effects include:
Why is echinacea used for healing?
Echinacea has traditionally been used for healing because of its potential to stimulate the immune system . Echinacea has mostly been studied for its benefit on respiratory problems, but there’s less research on other health benefits it may have. Some echinacea uses include:
What is purple coneflower?
Echinacea, also known as purple coneflower, is a flowering plant native to North America. It has been used as an herbal remedy for hundreds of years to treat a variety of health conditions, but scientific evidence for its efficacy is lacking for most treatments. Learn more about echinacea uses, benefits and side effects so you can make an informed ...
What is this medicine?
ECHINACEA (EK e nay sha) is an herbal product or dietary supplement. It is promoted to help support the body's natural defense systems. It is commonly used for colds or sore throats caused by cold viruses. However, there is limited evidence that echinacea helps colds or similar illnesses. The FDA has not approved this herb for any medical use.
How should I use this medicine?
Take by mouth with a glass of water. Follow the directions on the package labeling or ask your health care professional. If this supplement upsets your stomach, take it with food. Do not take this supplement more often than directed.
What if I miss a dose?
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.
What should I watch for while using this medicine?
See your doctor if your symptoms do not get better or if they get worse. Do not take this supplement for more than 2 weeks unless your doctor tells you to. Long term use of this supplement has not been proven to be helpful and may be harmful.
What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:
How long can you take echinacea?
Some experts say you shouldn't take echinacea for more than 8 weeks at a time. Although there is no evidence that the herb would cause harm after this point, doctors don't know enough yet about its long-term safety. Keep in mind that herbal remedies like echinacea aren't regulated in the U.S. the way medications are.
What is the purple coneflower used for?
It's a flowering plant that grows in the U.S. and Canada, and it's been used as medicine for centuries. There are nine species. Some of its common names are the purple coneflower or black-eyed Susan. The leaves, stems, flower, and roots are used to make supplements, liquid extracts, and teas.
Does echinacea help with colds?
Extracts of echinacea do seem to have an effect on the immune system, your body's defense against germs. Research shows it increases the number of white blood cells, which fight infections. A review of more than a dozen studies , published in 2014, found the herbal remedy had a very slight benefit in preventing colds.
Can you have a reaction to echinacea?
But some people can have allergic reactions. If this happens, you might get: You might be at higher risk of having a reaction to echinacea if you're allergic to other plants in the daisy family. This includes ragweed, chrysanthemums, and marigolds. Echinacea might also not be safe for people who use certain drugs.
Is echinacea safe for people?
Echinacea might also not be safe for people who use certain drugs. Examples are some medications for heart problems -- like amiodarone ( Cordarone, Pacerone) -- and some anti-fungal treatments. The combination of echinacea and these medicines could cause liver damage.
Where is echinacea found?
The best research on echinacea comes from Germany, a country that is far ahead of the United States in the scientific study of over-the-counter herbal medicines. Echinacea has been studied in Germany using double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, the gold standard for scientific research on drugs.
Does echinacea help with infection?
While the entire echinacea story is still being researched, there is some evidence that it stimulates the body to produce more infection-fighting white blood cells, such as T-lymphocytes and killer white blood cells. It may also stimulate the release of interferons, one of the body’s most potent infection-fighting weapons.
How to harvest echinacea?
You can also use all parts of the plant fresh to make tea or tinctures. Harvest echinacea blossoms by cutting stems for cut flower arrangements. By cutting and harvesting, you encourage all-season blooming. For medical use, cut the flowers at the stem where the first set of leaves below the blossom are growing.
How to harvest echinacea leaves for tea?
Harvest growing echinacea leaves for tea by cutting a few from each plant as needed. Use them fresh or dry the leaves and store them in a cool, dry place. You can also harvest the roots of the plant. It’s best to collect coneflower roots late in the season. Second-year roots are best.
What is the best coneflower for butterflies?
Echinacea Purpurea – The original purple coneflower is wildly attractive to butterflies. Grows in zones 3-8 and can get up to 5-feet tall. It has purplish-pink blossoms from June to August. One of the most potent varieties for medicine. Adobe Orange – A vibrant orange colored variety that blooms all summer long.
How tall does a Cheyenne Spirit echinacea grow?
This type gets up to 20-inches tall. Grows in zones 4-9. Attracts bees and butterflies and resists deer. Cheyenne Spirit – A mix of gold, orange, red and rose-colored echinacea flowers that will bloom in the first year. This type grows about 30-inches tall and prefers full sun. Grows in zones 4-9.
What soil do echinaceas need?
Soil and Sun Requirements. Echinacea requires soil with a neutral pH, around 6.0-7.0, and a fresh scoop of compost won’t hurt right before planting. Coneflowers can survive in dry, rocky soil, but given a choice, it prefers fertile, humus-rich, well-drained earth.
What is the best zone for echinacea?
Grows in zones 3-8. Green Twister – A unique colored echinacea plant, it features straight petals that are bright pink in the center, fading to lime green on the outside. It makes an excellent addition to bouquets. Grows 50-inches tall and thrives in zones 3-8.
Where does Echinacea grow?
Echinacea angustifolia – Also known as the narrow-leaf coneflower, this variety grows native in the Midwest. It has been used by indigenous people for centuries as a medicinal plant. This isn’t as pretty as some other varieties, so it’s best grown for medicine. Hardy in zones 3-9.
