Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Is Echinacea effective against cold and flu symptoms?

At this time of year many riders try Echinacea to try and fend off colds and flu; but does it have any effect?

We noticed a post on our forum asking if Echinacea can help beat cold and flu, and fight against the cold sore virus: so we asked Nutritional Scientist Toral Shah if there was any truth behind the claims. Here's what she told us.

How to stick to your new year exercise regime
Fat burning myths busted

“Most peer-reviewed studies say it’s not. If anything there are negative results, as in nothing happens. There are some studies that report a couple of positives against colds but definitely not flu.

"Echinacea is thought to be immune-boosting, but a lot of this is placebo effect because it feels like you’re helping to combat your symptoms. A lot of people will have it with honey and lemon and it’s something I’ve done myself. The warming effect will at least make it feel like you’re doing something, which may help you feel better to some extent.

"In terms of actual scientific evidence: our immune system doesn’t have much of an arsenal against viruses anyway. Antibiotics only work against bacteria, there isn’t much anti-viral medication available yet. The thing with the flu virus is that it changes and mutates very quickly, which is why the flu vaccination has to change every single year. 

"There are quite a few Cochrane studies that used randomised trials to statistically measure the effect of Echinacea. A Cochrane review looked at 16 different double-blind trials (meaning no participants knew if they were taking the Echinacea or not) and all tests conclusively shown it had no positive results or made any difference towards cold, flu or any viruses. The studies are replicated year after year and unfortunately, there is just zero evidence that Echinacea has an effect.   

"A lot of the assumed knowledge about Echinacea is hearsay, that was popularised by salespeople in the 1800’s. It just keeps resurfacing, and every time scientific studies show there is no truth behind it! To summarise, Echinacea isn’t effective against flu or cold sores.”

Toral Shah is a nutritional scientist and chef, with an MSc in Nutritional Medicine from the University of Surrey. She heads up the Urban Kitchen (urbankitchen.co.uk) featuring recipes and nutritional advice, and is represented by Sports Sphere.  

If you have any other queries related to training, illness or nutrition, email us at info [at] road.cc or start a thread on our forum, and we’ll try to get an expert to answer. 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

Add new comment

26 comments

Avatar
No Sweat | 3 years ago
6 likes

An 'alternative therapy' which has been shown to work (in a properly designed and conducted randomly controlled trial), is known as a medicine.

Anything else is mug-bait.

Avatar
leqin | 4 years ago
4 likes

I had almost forgotten that road.cc is a cycling news, reviews, and advice website'

Can we have less shitte like this and just stick to the bike business, otherwise we may end up poisening peoples minds with pseudo scientific clap trap and anti vacine nonsense before very much longer.

Avatar
Rick_Rude | 4 years ago
0 likes

Oil of oregano sorted my candida ridden guts out. Got a nasty case of hives/breakout in my hands and feet afterwards though as I think the candida releases toxins as it dies. Now I just do two drops two or three times a week and it's not returned.

Avatar
benbrangwyn | 4 years ago
1 like

I second the comment about homemade kefir. I've been taking it for 3 years and haven't had a cold or flu at all. I used to get them at least 4 times a year.

The BBC "Trust me I'm a Doctor" guy rated it too after a scientific comparison with a bunch of other "gut-friendly" products. Gotta do the homemade version, mind, not that shop bought stuff.

Avatar
Tom_77 | 4 years ago
3 likes

This is a useful webpage for what's worth taking:

Snake Oil Supplements?

 

(spoiler: most stuff isn't)

Avatar
Simmo72 | 5 years ago
3 likes

Based on my own recent research and the fact that I have green syrup pouring out of my nose for weeks on end, I would say Echinacea does chuff all.

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
4 likes

Beyond eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of fluids, pretty much take any supplement or perform any ritual you like. Chances are you will get better in 3 to 4 days.

Avatar
DaveE128 | 6 years ago
1 like

What's wrong with a bit of placebo effect anyway?  1

Avatar
cdamian replied to DaveE128 | 4 years ago
3 likes

DaveE128 wrote:

What's wrong with a bit of placebo effect anyway?  1

A lot of my bike upgrades are not much more than a placebo  1

Avatar
NervousNelly replied to cdamian | 4 years ago
4 likes

cdamian wrote:

DaveE128 wrote:

What's wrong with a bit of placebo effect anyway?  1

A lot of my bike upgrades are not much more than a placebo  1

Proven fact - Placebo effect is directly proportional to cost born by patient. Therefore if you spend many ££s you'll go MUCH faster. At least you'll think so 

Avatar
andystow replied to DaveE128 | 3 years ago
4 likes

Placebo is by far the most tested supplement. It's used in trial after trial, and has found to be usually safe, and occasionally effective.

 

But have you tried Placebo 2.0? It has twice the inactive ingredients!

Avatar
Welsh boy replied to andystow | 3 years ago
2 likes

And if that doesn't work then you could always try a stronger placebo 

Avatar
ktache | 6 years ago
4 likes

Our immune systems have a tremendously effective and complex arsenal that has evolved to fight  viruses.

Have a little look at the immunity page on wiki.

Viruses are everywhere, all cellular life has to have some way of fighting them.

Avatar
NPlus1Bikelights replied to ktache | 6 years ago
0 likes

ktache wrote:

Our immune systems have a tremendously effective and complex arsenal that has evolved to fight  viruses.

Have a little look at the immunity page on wiki.

Viruses are everywhere, all cellular life has to have some way of fighting them.

Research on echinacea says It does actually reduce inflammatory proteins. "it helps support the immune system if you are stressed or susceptible." is fluff based. "It contains alkyl amides which stimulate production of neutrophils, the first line defences of your immune system" but this is from a herbalist, no journal references no

Just make sure your vitamin C and Zinc levels are as high as they should be from diet or with a multivit.

PS Jack, try Pixabay for copyright-free, free images?

Avatar
Simon E replied to NPlus1Bikelights | 5 years ago
0 likes

NPlus1BikelightsNJerseys wrote:

Just make sure your vitamin C and Zinc levels are as high as they should be from diet or with a multivit.

Most multivits have ineffective levels of the relevant vitamins and minerals so don't help, those taking them have been duped are just wasting money.

In the UK winter vitamin D supplementation (D3, not D2) is the one that is most likely to have a beneficial effect.

Avatar
HarryTrauts replied to ktache | 5 years ago
2 likes

ktache wrote:

Our immune systems have a tremendously effective and complex arsenal that has evolved to fight  viruses.

Have a little look at the immunity page on wiki.

Viruses are everywhere, all cellular life has to have some way of fighting them.

 

Absolutely true.  For her to say, as an "expert" that our immune system doesn't have much of an arsenal against viruses, is worrying.  We're fighting viruses all the time, for goodness sake.  Occasionally, one gets through and we get a cold or flu and, most of the time, we get better because our immune system is doing its work! 

Avatar
Pub bike | 6 years ago
0 likes

A ridelondon newsletter claimed that echinacea was effective.   How embarrassing for them to publish such nonsense on their website. I wonder how much science is behind their other articles?

Avatar
mdavidford replied to Pub bike | 6 years ago
0 likes
Pub bike wrote:

A ridelondon newsletter claimed...

As I started to read this I was wondering what kind of drug or pseudo-drug ridelondon was...

Avatar
Pub bike | 6 years ago
1 like

A ridelondon newsletter claimed that echinacea was effective.   How embarrassing for them to publish such nonsense on their website. I wonder how much science is behind their other articles?

Avatar
No Sweat | 6 years ago
9 likes

Wash your hands a lot.

Eat well.

Sleep well.

Don't over-train.

Avoid people with colds and flu.......

 

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
1 like

Forget echinacea, what you want to be doing is consuming loads of lactic acid bacteria. To be fair, this hasn't been tested on humans, but I was surprised at how effective it was in mice. Here's a link to some results:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171213130328.htm

Luckily, I'm a huge fan of kimchi and I also drink about half a pint of homemade kefir each morning so I reckon I'm getting my dose of lactobacillus (though not in my nose).

Avatar
Welsh boy replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
2 likes

..., but I was surprised at how effective it was in mice.

 I will remember that when I grow a long tail and whiskers. 

Avatar
Valbrona | 6 years ago
1 like

... anyway, it's suitably androgynous.

Like a few I see on the underground each morning.

Avatar
Jack Sexty replied to Valbrona | 6 years ago
2 likes

Valbrona wrote:

... anyway, it's suitably androgynous.

Like a few I see on the underground each morning.

it is indeed a royalty-free vector image, which required a great deal of research to dig out!  1 

Avatar
Valbrona | 6 years ago
0 likes

Where did you get the title pic from? MS Clip Art?

Avatar
andyp | 6 years ago
11 likes

That's a lot of words to say 'no'...

Latest Comments