Echinacea is a plant used by Native Americans to boost the immune system. It is now sold as a nutritional supplement, although research shows it is ineffective once a virus has spread. Echinacea can rejuvenate the immune system, counteract bacterial enzymes, reduce inflammation, and fight internal infections. Studies have not found it to be effective in curing the common cold, but it may be helpful if taken as soon as symptoms begin. The recommended dose varies, with some doctors suggesting a repeating pattern of three days on and three days off, while others recommend six to eight weeks on and two weeks off.
Echinacea, also known as the purple coneflower, is a plant native to the Americas and Europe. The Native American Indians of the Plains were among the first to use the herb to invigorate the immune system and ward off the common cold, flu, and various infections. Now the plant is often made into an extract and sold in pill form as a nutritional supplement. Although a lot of research tends to show the ineffectiveness of echinacea extract once the virus has already spread, many believe that the supplement provides numerous health benefits when taken as directed by a doctor.
In the early 1900s, echinacea extract was one of the most popular tinctures in America and Europe and was advertised as a home remedy. The American Medical Association (AMA) attacked the supposed panacea from 1910 in favor of promoting the rise of pharmaceutical companies. The negative press, however, did little to suppress the widespread use of echinacea. Today, echinacea extract remains one of the best-selling herbal supplements.
Echinacea extract is said to rejuvenate the immune system by promoting the production of immune cells and stimulating phagocytosis, the consumption of foreign organisms by blood cells. Some studies have found that the herb can also counteract the effects of bacterial enzymes when applied to the site of an open wound. When taken ingested, an echinacea supplement can kill yeast, stop bacterial growth, and increase the growth of new cells, which helps fight internal infections. Echinacea extract has been found to reduce inflammation for arthritis patients at about the same rate as steroids without the severe side effects some patients experience when taking prescription drugs; only those with a somewhat rare allergy to the plant have experienced negative reactions.
Numerous research studies have been conducted to discern the effectiveness of echinacea extract as a cure for the common cold. Most of the findings have stated that patients who treated the disease with echinacea did not recover faster than patients who did not use the herb. Supplement believers suggest, however, that echinacea is most effective when taken as soon as cold symptoms begin. Taking the extract once a cold has already become severe may have little or no impact.
The recommended dose of echinacea extract follows a somewhat irregular pattern due to the belief that stimulation of the immune system only lasts for a relatively short period of time before it returns to its normal state. By changing intake of the extract on a rotational basis, one can continue to boost the immune system without developing a tolerance to the herb. Some doctors say that a repeating pattern of three days on the supplement and three days off is the most beneficial. Others follow a plan of six to eight weeks on the extract and two weeks off.
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