Echinacea takes the edge off

Echinacea can reduce the affects of the common cold according to a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. The study is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and examined the healing powers of the wild purple coneflower found in meadows and prairies in the Midwestern plains as well as your local nursery.

The supplement has grown in popularity over the years and can be found just about anywhere in pill form or in medicinal teas.

In all honesty however, the affect of Echinacea, while present, was minimal. It only reducing symptoms by about half a day. Nevertheless when you are a single mom with children and a full time job, that half day is vitally important, and I read the report as good news.

According to Bruce Barrett, the lead researcher and associate professor of family medicine, patients in trial who received the Echinacea had the duration of their colds reduced by seven to ten hours. He thought it wasn’t significant, but to me, that’s an entire workday.

“Trends were in the direction of benefit, amounting to an average half-day reduction in the duration of a weeklong cold or an approximate 10 percent reduction in overall severity,” he said. “However, this dose regimen did not make a large impact on the course of the common cold, compared either to blinded placebo or to no pills.”

Barrett did go on to say there was no reason that cold sufferers should stop using it if they think it helps and feel relief. “Adults who have found Echinacea to be beneficial should not discontinue use based on the results of this trial, as there are no proven effective treatments and no side effects were seen,” conceded Barrett. Thank you.

Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison, ScienceDaily