A recent study analyzing the leading research on echinacea has concluded that echinacea products of good quality, used in adequate doses, appear to reduce the risk of getting the common cold by 58 percent, and may reduce the duration of a cold by almost a day and a half.
The new study was published in The Lancet – Infectious Diseases (July 2007) by a team of researchers from the University of Connecticut.
For most herbs, we don't have adequate research to tell us whether or not they really work. In addition, the few studies that have been done have generally used poorly chosen products or dosages, or badly designed methods that have made the results difficult to interpret. Echinacea, one of the most commonly used herbs, is actually a collection of several plant species found in North America and used worldwide. It is primarily recommended for improving the immune system in general, and for preventing and treating the common cold in particular. Evidence to support its benefit claims has been mixed, but some major medical organizations, including the German Commission E, have found the research conclusions convincing enough to recommend the use of echinacea.
Because of the huge cost that colds exact on society through basic human misery and loss of work, the new research findings are very significant. The University of Connecticut study reviewed only high-quality, randomized, controlled studies – the “gold standard” of medical trials. The detailed analysis showed a benefit for a variety of echinacea preparations obtained from many different sources. These products helped prevent colds that were contracted through natural exposure to viruses, as well as colds that were induced experimentally with viruses isolated in a laboratory.
This new study contradicts the findings of a large study on echinacea that was published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2005. That study appeared to show no preventive benefit from using echinacea. However, the dose of echinacea used in the NEJM study was lower than what typically would be recommended. In addition, that study looked only at preventing colds induced in healthy volunteers using a laboratory virus. The University of Connecticut study suggests that echinacea is not as effective in reducing laboratory-induced colds as it is in reducing colds obtained through natural exposure to viruses. That study also suggests that echinacea may help more with some types of viruses than others.
So, here is the bottom line for using echinacea:
Make sure that you are getting a good-quality product and are using an appropriate dose.
Consult a health professional who is familiar with these products.
For more help with echinacea and other natural medicines, make an appointment with Providence Integrative Medicine.
