Healthy living
Medicines and supplements
Study backs echinacea to control colds
Keeping echinacea in the medicine cupboard could be worthwhile when cold bugs are around, say scientists
People have long sworn by the healing powers of echinacea to ward off the common cold, but there's been little hard proof. Now, scientists in the US say that the herbal remedy can halve your risk of catching the bug and speed up your recovery if you do come down with the sniffles.
The results of the study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, conflict with other studies that show no beneficial effect.
Researchers from the University of Connecticut in the US reviewed 14 previous trials that studied the effects of echinacea's cold-busting properties. They found that taking the herb decreased the odds of getting a cold by 58 per cent and reduced recovery time by a day and a half. Experts believe echinacea, a flowering plant which is native to North America, may boost the body's immune system.
Taking vitamin C supplements alongside echinacea may pack an even more powerful punch. The results of one study revealed that people who took this combination were 86 percent less likely to succumb. However the authors of the new report felt that more research would need to be done before they could confidently say that the two supplements in combination were better than just echinacea on its own.
Echinacea is one of the most popular herbal supplements and is usually taken as tablets or as drops.The herb was originally used by American Indians to treat a whole gamut of maladies from wounds to snakebites. The flower, stem and root are all used.
More cold-busting remedies
- Cranberry juice. Some studies have suggested that a daily glass can significantly reduce the length of a cold and severity of symptoms.
- Garlic is claimed to help prevent common cold and flu infections. A sulphur-containing compound, ajoene, found in garlic is believed to have some antiviral properties.
- Zinc, found in foods such as oysters and pumpkin seeds, is believed to surround the common cold viruses, such as the rhinovirus, and prevent them from attaching to the nasal cells.
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
