To determine pediatric dose, see your child’s pediatrician or a herbalist with experience treating young patients.
Adult
Take echinacea three times daily for the first ten days of a cold, flu, upper respiratory infection, or bladder infection to stimulate the immune system generally.
Echinacea should NOT be taken on an empty stomach. Take it with food or a big glass of water instead.
Can echinacea be taken continuously?
The more frequent echinacea adverse effects are as follows:
- headaches
- dizziness
- feeling unwell
- belly pain
- constipation
- skin repercussions (redness, itchiness and swelling)
- Children are more likely to have them.
Echinacea use for longer than 8 weeks at a time may cause liver damage or immune system suppression. If you are taking medications known to have an adverse effect on your liver, herbalists advise against taking echinacea.
If you use any additional medications, herbs, or supplements, check with your doctor first.
Using echinacea safely
If you want to substitute echinacea for your cancer therapy, let your doctor know. Additionally, if you are considering taking it concurrently with your cancer therapy.
In some people, it may not be safe to use in conjunction with other cancer treatments.
Echinacea may impair the effectiveness of some chemotherapy medications, including etoposide.
Sometimes pharmacists and medical professionals advise lymphoma patients not to consume echinacea. This is so that it won’t affect how they’re being treated.
Researchers discovered that echinacea and etravine were safe to ingest together in HIV-positive individuals.
If any of the following apply to you before consuming echinacea:
- are breastfeeding or pregnant
- have a medical condition like autoimmune illness, HIV, or AIDS that impairs your immune system
- are medicating to weaken your immune system because it might fight them
- are under 12 years old
- There is a possibility of allergic responses including skin rashes, according to the medical health regulatory association (MHRA).
Always discuss the use of complementary or alternative cancer therapy with your doctors and nurses. They could affect how well your other therapies work.
Your treatment team can point you in the direction of further resources if they don’t have the knowledge you need.
What happens if you take too much echinacea?
The United States and Canada are home to the blooming plant echinacea. Additionally known as coneflower. It belongs to the family of plants known as daisies. For many years, echinacea has been used as a herbal treatment. The viruses that cause colds, sore throats, and the flu are now frequently prevented or treated with it.
Most drug stores and health food stores carry echinacea products. It is available as teas, pills, liquid extracts, capsules, or dried plants. It is one of the most widely used herbs in the country.
Path to improved health
Echinacea is frequently used as a dietary supplement to treat infections like the common cold. They contend that it strengthens the immune system. This improves the body’s ability to combat the infection. As a result, the illness might not persist as long. When feeling well, some people use it to avoid getting sick.
Consult your primary care physician before using echinacea to treat a cold or the flu. Make sure to conduct your study as well. Before being sold, dietary supplements do not require FDA approval. The components in some supplements may not be what is listed on the label. Look for a business that quality tests their goods. You will then be certain that you are acting appropriately.
Pay close attention to the package label. Echinacea is available in a wide range of doses and strengths. Additionally, it may be combined with other nutrients. Observe the instructions on the packaging. Take only the prescribed amount. It can be hazardous to take more than is advised.
The majority of companies advise against eating echinacea on an empty stomach. They advise drinking a lot of water or eating before taking it. Echinacea shouldn’t be taken for more than a few weeks. Long-term safety has not been sufficiently investigated.
Before taking echinacea or any supplements, consult your doctor. If it will conflict with any other medications you take, he or she can let you know. They can also suggest the appropriate dosage for you.
Keep all herbal products out of young children’s sight and reach. To prevent them from losing their potency, keep them in a cool, dry area. Avoid keeping them in restrooms, which tend to get warm and muggy.
Does it work?
On the impact of echinacea on the common cold, numerous studies have been conducted. Researchers have not yet discovered concrete proof of its efficacy. They don’t think that taking it as soon as a cold hits will make it go away faster. Taking it when you are healthy may somewhat lower your risk of contracting a cold.
What are the side effects?
Minor adverse effects are possible with echinacea. These symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, and a queasy stomach. Allergic reactions such as redness, swelling, and breathing difficulties are considered serious adverse effects. It may exacerbate asthmatic symptoms. Inform your doctor as soon as possible of any negative effects you have.
Daisy family plants can cause allergy reactions in some people. These could include chrysanthemums, marigolds, ragweed, daisies, or other flowers. This could increase your chance of experiencing an allergic reaction to echinacea.
What dosage of echinacea should I take daily?
Depending on the product, different echinacea dosages are advised. The most frequently prescribed medication in the US is a liquid extract of the E. purpurea root, which is typically dosed at 3 mL every three to four hours for the first one to two days of upper respiratory sickness and then three times per day for the following week. Patients utilizing echinacea tea (prepared from the root of E. angustifolia or E. purpurea) must start with greater doses, usually 6 to 8 oz four times per day for the first two days before reducing it to once or twice per day on days three to seven.
Brief overview
However, no studies utilizing Echinacea in the prevention or treatment of illnesses similar to COVID-19 have been found. Current research suggests that echinacea supplementation may reduce the duration and severity of acute respiratory tract infections. There were not many side events reported, indicating the relative safety of this herbal medication. Clinical studies have shown that Echinacea lowers levels of immunological molecules associated with cytokine storm, despite the fact that it might boost immune activity, which raises concerns that it can worsen over-activation of the immune system in cytokine storm.
Verdict
When given at the earliest sign of infection, Echinacea supplements may help with the symptoms of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and the common cold. No trials employing Echinacea in the prevention or treatment of illnesses like COVID-19, however, have been found. When taken at the outset of symptoms, Echinacea may lessen the intensity and/or duration of ARI, according to earlier research. E. purpurea or a mixture of E. purpurea and E. angustifolia having standardized levels of active components were employed in trials claiming benefit.
Echinacea use hasn’t been associated with many side effects, which suggests that this herbal remedy is generally harmless. No human studies using echinacea for up to 4 months could be found that showed cytokine storm symptoms.
The results were largely consistent with a reduction in the pro-inflammatory cytokines that are involved in the progression of cytokine storm and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), factors that are highly significant in the death of COVID-19 patients when looking at all human trials that reported changes in cytokine levels in response to Echinacea supplementation. Even though there isn’t any research on the therapeutic benefits of echinacea in the treatment of cytokine storms right now, this evidence shows that more study is necessary.
If you take echinacea, is there anything you shouldn’t take?
What foods and medicines should I stay away from while taking echinacea? Avoid anything that contains caffeine, including coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, and other items. Echinacea can intensify the negative effects of caffeine, including headache, rapid heartbeat, and jitteriness.
Can echinacea be taken with vitamin D?
Vitamin D3 and echinacea did not interact in any way. This does not imply that there are no interactions, though. Always get advice from your doctor.
Echinacea and kidney health
If you have renal illness, stay away from herbal medications because they can increase blood pressure.
Some, like St. John’s Wort (for poor mood), may interfere with renal disease medications.
Before using some, such as the cold and flu treatment echinacea, consult with your doctor or pharmacist because they may have an adverse effect on kidney function.
Another issue is that the amount of the active ingredient in herbal remedies can vary significantly across brands (and even between batches of the same brand). This makes it challenging to anticipate how potent a dose will be.
What is the health benefit of echinacea?
Echinacea extracts may inhibit the growth of cancer cells and even cause cancer cell death, according to experiments conducted in test tubes (25, 26).
An extract of Echinacea purpurea and chicoric acid, which is naturally present in echinacea plants, was demonstrated in one test-tube investigation to cause cancer cell death (25).
In another experiment, echinacea plant extracts (Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, and Echinacea pallida) destroyed colon and pancreatic cancer cells in test tubes by inducing apoptosis, or regulated cell death (26).
It is thought that the immune-stimulating components of echinacea cause this effect (27).
Conventional cancer medicines like doxorubicin were once thought to interact with echinacea, but more recent investigations have found no evidence of this (28, 29).
Echinacea has been demonstrated to enhance skin health, blood sugar control, anxiety, and immunity. It might even possess anti-cancer qualities. However, there hasn’t been much human-based study on these advantages.
How effective is echinacea for sinus infections?
- Onions and garlic Both of these vegetables strengthen the immune system.
- foods high in vitamin C
- Vitamin C-rich foods help strengthen the immune system and hasten sinusitis recovery.
2. Foods & Drinks to Steer Clear of
- White blood cells that fight infection are decreased by sugar.
- Fruit juicesAlthough orange juice provides some vitamin C, entire fruits and vegetables have a higher vitamin C content. Juice should be diluted if you wish to drink it.
- dairy goods
- It is better to stay away from milk and other dairy products because they produce mucous.
- refined grains and flour
- The formation of mucus might increase with all refined grains.
- Salt
- Without enough water, salt can dehydrate you and make nasal inflammation take longer to heal.
3. Oregano oil
Carvacrol and thymol, two potent chemicals found in oregano oil, have potent antibacterial and antifungal activities. I advise taking 500 mg of oregano oil four times a day. You can also mix a few drops of oregano oil with a sizable bowl of recently boiled water to treat sinus infections. A safe distance away from the boiling water, wrap your head with a towel to create a tent to trap the steam inside. Close your eyes, place your face over the pot, and breathe in the aromatic vapor for a few minutes. This can be done numerous times daily to help clear the nasal passages. (14)
Infusion of grapefruit seed
Strong antiviral effects are present in grapefruit seed extract. It is present in many nasal and throat sprays because of this. The primary biological components in grapefruit seeds—known as limonoids and naringenin—are thought to be in charge of the fruit’s capacity to exterminate viral intruders. (15) I advise applying a nasal spray containing grapefruit seed extract four times daily.
5. Calcium
The immune system, which guards against infection and assists the body in fighting it once it has contracted one, depends on vitamin C to work properly. Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant and aids in protecting our cells from oxidative stress. Things like cigarette smoke and air pollution, which can frequently contribute to the development of sinus infections, contain free radicals. (16) I advise taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C three times daily.
7. Onion
One of nature’s finest antibiotics is garlic. Due to the fact that sinus infections are frequently brought on by colds, garlic is a fantastic natural remedy for both treating and preventing sinus infections. During the cold and flu season, participants in one research took either garlic pills or a placebo for 12 weeks (between November and February). In the event that they did catch a cold, the garlic users recovered more quickly than the placebo group. Over the course of the 12-week treatment period, there was a significantly higher chance of getting more than one cold for those who took the placebo (no garlic). According to the study, allicin, garlic’s primary biologically active component, is responsible for its capacity to protect against the common cold virus. (17)
The World Health Organization advises adults to consume two to five grams (or about one clove) of fresh garlic, 0.4 to 1.2 grams of dried garlic powder, two to five milligrams of garlic oil, 300 to 1,000 milligrams of garlic extract, or other preparations containing two to five milligrams of allicin daily for general health promotion. (18)
Echinacea 7.
The herb echinacea can aid your body in warding off bacteria and viruses. This herb is frequently suggested by licensed herbalists as a non-prescription remedy for sinus infections. According to scientific research, echinacea contains active ingredients that are antiviral, strengthen the immune system, and reduce discomfort and inflammation—the ideal mix of actions for treating a sinus infection. (19) At the earliest symptom of a disease, it is preferable to take an echinacea supplement. I advise taking 1,000 mg twice or three times day.
Neti Pot 8.
Additionally, sinus problems can be substantially improved and the nasal passageways can be cleaned by using a neti pot and saline solution. This procedure is known as “nasal spraying Even though neti pot use only lasts six months, research in the Canadian Medical Association Journal has shown that it can remove some chronic sinusitis symptoms. Lead author and University of Southampton professor of medicine Dr. Paul Little claims that “In addition to easing sinus symptoms, people reported fewer headaches, a decrease in the use of over-the-counter medications, and a decreased likelihood of returning to the doctor with another episode of sinusitis. (20)
Add Moisture, 9.
Adding additional moisture to the air and your nasal passages—whether it’s through a humidifier, saline nasal spray, or simply sitting in a steamy bathroom—can significantly lessen congestion. (21) If you have a sinus infection, I highly advise sleeping with a humidifier on. Additionally, you can buy a natural saline nasal spray to use several times per day (following package instructions). Particularly effective at easing sinus headaches is steam inhalation.
10. Aromatic plants
Using peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil can be quite successful in removing sinus congestion naturally. These essential oils have a natural ability to cleanse mucus, open up the sinuses, and prevent infections. Put one drop of each on your mouth’s roof (only do this with food grade essential oils). then chug some water. Diffusing essential oils into the air so you can breathe them in is another fantastic suggestion. Sinus infections can also benefit from my homemade vapor rub recipe.
Precautions
You should visit your doctor if your sinus infection symptoms worsen or do not go away after 10 to 14 days. An untreated sinus infection can develop into other illnesses including bronchitis or complications that require surgery.
You may also wish to see an allergist when you first experience allergy-like symptoms since they may be able to identify the root of your symptoms.
If you are pregnant, nursing, have any ongoing medical issues, are taking any other medications, or if you have any other health concerns, always see your doctor before using any natural supplements.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, sinus infections are rather typical in today’s society. The same goes for ineffective antibiotic therapy. Never forget that treating viral sinus infections with medications is completely unnecessary (and most are caused by a virus). Antibiotics can harm your body much more than help it, especially if you take them when you really don’t need to.
Natural sinusitis treatments work successfully for the majority of sinus infections. There are so many natural solutions available that are not only economical and simple to carry out in the comfort of your home, but also highly effective.