Echinacea may have medicinal benefits for cold and flu, but there are potential side effects such as vomiting, nausea, and skin reactions. Long-term use is uncertain, and it can affect the body’s metabolic process. Consult a doctor before taking echinacea, and pregnant or lactating women and those with autoimmune disorders should avoid it.
The herb known as echinacea is rumored to have useful medicinal properties against the common cold and flu virus. There is some evidence that teas or supplements made from various parts of the plant have medicinal benefits if taken at the first sign of illness. On the other hand, for certain people, there are side effects of echinacea that are less than pleasant. Although echinacea side effects are rarely life-threatening, it is up to the individual to determine if the benefits the plant might provide outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Studies are sketchy on the subject, but there is great uncertainty regarding the side effects of echinacea if the herb is taken long-term. The medical community generally accepts short-term use as safe, but this line of reasoning is not without its caveats. Many people have reported side effects of echinacea such as vomiting, dizziness, nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Other people have experienced everything from joint pain, sore throats, and headaches. It is unknown if these echinacea side effects were psychosomatic, if they occurred independently of echinacea use, or if they resulted from taking too much of the herb.
What is known is that the side effects of echinacea can cause skin reactions. Echinacea is sometimes applied directly to the skin, as there is evidence that it can speed wound healing. However, for some users, rashes and allergies are just two possible side effects of echinacea. The prevalence of these allergies seems more common in those who are allergic to other noxious plants, such as ragweed.
To be safe and to avoid possible adverse complications with other medications, you should always consult your doctor before taking echinacea. Pregnant or lactating women should never take echinacea. Anyone suffering from an autoimmune disorder should also avoid it.
As with many herbal products, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not set hard and fast rules or regulations related to the manufacture of echinacea supplements. Therefore, one must be cautious, or at least careful, while taking the substance. It is believed that echinacea side effects could alter the metabolic process of certain internal organs, such as the liver. If this assumption were true, it would mean that echinacea could cause the body to absorb certain prescription drugs either too quickly or too slowly.
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