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Why is echinacea not FDA approved?
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.
Do doctors recommend echinacea?
Whether or not echinacea helps prevent or treat the common cold remains controversial. Some studies have shown that the herb can make you feel better faster. A review of 14 clinical trials found that echinacea reduced the odds of developing a cold by 58% and the duration of a cold by 1 to 4 days.
Is echinacea clinically proven?
Although it seems possible that some Echinacea products are more effective than a placebo for treating colds, the overall evidence for clinically relevant treatment effects is weak. In general, trials investigating Echinacea for preventing colds did not show statistically significant reductions in illness occurrence.
Is echinacea worth taking?
Recent research suggests that some echinacea supplements may shorten the duration of a cold by about half a day and may slightly reduce symptom severity. But these results were too minor to be deemed significant. In the past, some studies have found echinacea to be helpful while other studies have found no benefit.
Is echinacea good for lungs?
There is no evidence that Echinacea or any other ingredient in herbal medicine can prevent or cure severe respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.
Does Echinacea build your immune system?
Echinacea is best known for its beneficial effects on the immune system. Numerous studies have found that this plant may help your immune system combat infections and viruses, which could help you recover faster from illness ( 8 , 9 , 10 ).
Can echinacea cause liver damage?
Hepatotoxicity. In multiple controlled trials, echinacea by itself has not been linked to liver injury, either in the form of transient serum enzyme elevations or clinically apparent acute liver injury.
Is it safe to take echinacea as a supplement?
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. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.
How is Echinacea used as an alternative medicine?
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.
How old do you have to be to take echinacea tablets?
Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without medical advice. Echinacea should not be used in a child younger than 12 years old. How should I take echinacea?
How many species of Echinacea are there in the world?
Latin Names: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida Background There are nine known species of echinacea, all of which are native to North America.