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.
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“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@road.cc or start a thread on our forum, and we’ll try to get an expert to answer.
26 thoughts on “Is Echinacea effective against cold and flu symptoms?”
That’s a lot of words to say
That’s a lot of words to say ‘no’…
Where did you get the title
Where did you get the title pic from? MS Clip Art?
… anyway, it’s suitably
… anyway, it’s suitably androgynous.
Like a few I see on the underground each morning.
Valbrona wrote:
it is indeed a royalty-free vector image, which required a great deal of research to dig out! 🙂
Forget echinacea, what you
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).
…, but I was surprised at
…, but I was surprised at how effective it was in mice.
I will remember that when I grow a long tail and whiskers.
Wash your hands a lot.
Wash your hands a lot.
Eat well.
Sleep well.
Don’t over-train.
Avoid people with colds and flu…….
A ridelondon newsletter
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?
A ridelondon newsletter
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?
Pub bike wrote:
As I started to read this I was wondering what kind of drug or pseudo-drug ridelondon was…
Our immune systems have a
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.
ktache wrote:
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
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?
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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.
ktache wrote:
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!
What’s wrong with a bit of
What’s wrong with a bit of placebo effect anyway? 🙂
DaveE128 wrote:
A lot of my bike upgrades are not much more than a placebo 🙂
cdamian wrote:
A lot of my bike upgrades are not much more than a placebo 🙂— DaveE128
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
Placebo is by far the most
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!
And if that doesn’t work then
And if that doesn’t work then you could always try a stronger placebo
Beyond eating a healthy diet
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.
Based on my own recent
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.
This is a useful webpage for
This is a useful webpage for what’s worth taking:
Snake Oil Supplements?
(spoiler: most stuff isn’t)
I second the comment about
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.
Oil of oregano sorted my
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.
I had almost forgotten that
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.
An ‘alternative therapy’
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.