When taken in moderation, echinacea tea has little adverse effects. Echinacea’s use as medicine has not received FDA approval. Before using a herbal tea as medicine, always speak with a medical expert. Before trying echinacea tea, bear the following in mind.
Allergies
Avoid drinking echinacea tea if you have allergies to the echinacea plant or other members of the same family. Children under the age of 12 should pay particular attention to this. Many organizations in Europe, including some in Germany, advise against giving echinacea to young children. The issue is that children are more likely than adults to experience severe allergic reactions to echinacea.
Pregnant Women
The effects of echinacea on pregnancy are currently the subject of very little investigation. Echinacea tea and other herbal treatments shouldn’t be consumed by pregnant or nursing women without first seeing a doctor.
Digestive Issues
Echinacea has an overpowering scent that some people find nauseating. Echinacea tea’s chemical constituents may also irritate the stomach lining and result in cramps, pain, or irritation. To prevent adverse effects, keep echinacea tea consumption to one to three cups per day.
How frequently should echinacea tea be consumed?
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.
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 tea be consumed in excess?
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.
Can you take echinacea for a long time?
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.
In whom should echinacea not be taken?
Consult your doctor before using echinacea if you regularly take other medications. Additionally, if you smoke, use illegal substances, drink alcohol or caffeine-containing beverages, you should disclose this to your doctor. These might impact how echinacea functions.
If you have an autoimmune ailment (like lupus), an infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, echinacea may not be beneficial to you (AIDS). Before beginning to use echinacea, you should discuss with your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing.
Echinacea allergy risk may be increased if you have a history of allergies to daisies, ragweed, marigolds, chrysanthemums, or other related plants.
Does echinacea benefit the lungs?
There is limited proof that Echinacea helps treat other ailments, and researchers have not yet established if it might lessen the severity of a cold.
The authors of a review discovered in 2011 that various echinacea extracts may aid in the treatment of viral respiratory infections. They do, however, make the point that the lack of uniformity among Echinacea products may prevent consumers from discovering efficient treatments.
A commercial medicine containing Echinacea extract may help prevent severe respiratory illnesses brought on by coronaviruses, according to a study from 2020.
However, other researchers point out that this little study did not examine how the product affected the virus that causes coronavirus illness 19 (COVID-19).
In addition, the product had not been tested on actual humans but rather solely on cell lines and viral particles. Additionally, the study was not peer-reviewed, and it in no way suggests that echinacea can treat COVID-19.
The scientists who issued the warning also mention that autoimmune disease sufferers may be at risk from the product.
There is no proof that Echinacea or any other herbal medication component can treat COVID-19 or other severe respiratory disorders.
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.
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.
Will echinacea strengthen my immune system?
Echinacea may boost your immune system, enabling you to combat viral or bacterial colds and flu. According to certain studies, the echinacea plant includes compounds that aid in the production of white blood cells by your body. These white blood cells function as part of your immune system to combat infection when your upper respiratory tract (nose, mouth, and throat) becomes infected.
But a 2014 research that examined two dozen additional studies discovered only flimsy proof that echinacea supplements actually work to treat colds. Echinacea may help treat colds, but it has not been demonstrated to hasten the onset of a cold.
Several different infections may be repelled by echinacea. According to some research, echinacea helps treat ear infections, urinary tract infections, and slow-healing cuts and wounds. Even though echinacea can occasionally assist with small illnesses, if the issue persists, you should visit a doctor.
Is echinacea tea a sleep aid?
Echinacea Native American tribes in North America benefited greatly from the traditional healing properties of tea. Its root was previously made into a poultice by the Sioux and Dakota to cure hydrophobia brought on by rabid animal bites.
Instead, the Blackfoot chewed it to ease their toothaches. Then there were the Comanche and the Cheyenne, who drank echinacea tea for mouth problems and sore throats.
That is acceptable and fair. In fact, the Native Americans are largely responsible for us learning the truth about this amazing plant. But what advantages of echinacea tea are supported by contemporary science?
The herb briefly declined following the 1930s discovery of antibiotics. However, after several studies have emphasized its value, it has recently gained favor once more.
Does Echinacea Help with Colds and the Flu?
Echinacea tea is one of the most well-known remedies for colds and upper respiratory tract infections. A meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials found that it cut the risk of getting the mild illness by 58%. The study also found that it cut the length of the symptoms’ duration by roughly 112 days.
Another study with 95 participants found that those who participated experienced fewer runny noses, moderate fevers, and sore throats.
That’s not all, either. According to a 2008 study that appeared in the Journal of Medicinal Food, echinacea tea for the immune system improved defense.
A review from 2015 found that it prevented complications like pneumonia, tonsillitis, and ear infections as well as recurring respiratory tract infections. Additionally, there is proof that it aids in the treatment of influenza (flu).
Echinacea Tea for Weight Loss
Could the effects of echinacea tea affect your waistline? At the very least, it could be the case. Although there aren’t many research to support the assertion, it has long been thought that doing so might (note the emphasis on “might”) speed up fat cells’ metabolism.
A faster metabolism makes it possible to burn fat more quickly and effectively, which makes the effects of exercise more pronounced.
One undeniable fact is that it has no more than two calories per 8-oz serving, making it a great substitute for fatty and sugary soft drinks. However, there might be better choices out there, such as Rooibos, Pu erh Tea, and Matcha.
Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all method for losing weight. For the best outcomes, you’ll need to eat healthy and exercise frequently.
Echinacea Tea for Hair Health
We must emphasize once more that there aren’t many research to back up the idea that echinacea tea is good for your hair. Numerous anecdotal stories, however, indicate that it is still possible for it to be helpful despite this.
According to one idea, it encourages development by stimulating the stem cells connected to each hair follicle. Due to the increased blood flow to the scalp, it may potentially prevent early-onset baldness.
The anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory qualities of the tea may help to relieve dandruff as well as an inflamed, irritated, or itchy head. Nevertheless, alternative infusions could be worth trying first, similar to its documented relationship with weight loss.
Among them are the benefits of milk thistle and nettle tea, the latter of which has been extensively studied with regard to hair follicles.
Echinacea Tea for Sleep and Anxiety
A person with insomnia has trouble falling asleep or wakes up frequently during the night. It affects between 10% and 30% of the world’s population and is more common in individuals who are female or who have physical or mental health issues.
Anxiety, which is defined as a sensation of worry, fear, or nervousness experienced over an extended period of time or at random intervals, is one condition that may increase symptoms.
The benefits of echinacea tea may help with both sleeplessness and anxiety. It has calming benefits because to the presence of chemicals including alkamides, rosmarinic acid, and caffeic acid. Three of five Echinacea samples in one study on animals reduced anxiety in mice.
Remember that nothing is more soothing than curling up with a hot, filling cup of herbal tea, which includes lavender tea.
Echinacea for Cold Sores
The herpes virus is the cause of cold sores. When they are on your skin, they are contagious and can be uncomfortable or even painful until they heal, which normally takes ten days or less. An antiviral cream is the most typical treatment.
The appearance of cold sores may be lessened by over-the-counter cold sore patches, electric light, or laser devices, which are available from pharmacies.
Recent scientific evidence has indicated that drinking loose leaf echinacea tea for cold sores is another worthwhile consideration. An extract from the plant had an antiviral effect, according to a 2009 study that was written up in the Journal of Intervirology.
This stopped the herpes simplex virus (HSVI)-caused cold sores from ever developing in the first place.