Living Proof Are you wasting your money on Echinacea? That depends on whom you ask. An HSI member writes: "According to Dr. Dean Edell, a syndicated radio host M.D., there are no studies that prove Echinacea enhances the immune system. He says it's a waste of money. Do you have a study that supports your position that it is good for your immune system?" Dr. Edell is not exactly an enthusiastic advocate of complementary and alternative therapies, so his dismissal of Echinacea is no surprise. And while there are a number of animal studies that have demonstrated an immune response to Echinacea, I've only been able to find one human trial. In a healthy person, an elevated white blood cell count indicates an immune response. So a team of Australian researchers assessed white cell levels in 11 healthy subjects before a two-week intervention in which subjects took two Echinacea tablets each day. At the end of the study, white cell levels were elevated, along with other immune activity markers. In the August 2005 issue of the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics the authors wrote: "The pilot study suggests that Echinacea may invoke an immune response through altered expression of leucocyte heat shock protein 70 and increased white cell count." Of course, this small study doesn't "prove Echinacea enhances the immune system," but there IS plenty of research that demonstrates Echinacea's effectiveness as a common cold fighter. In the e-Alert "Get to the Root" (8/11/05), I told you about a study that found Echinacea to be ineffective in preventing or treating the common cold. Mainstream reports conveniently ignored the most glaring flaw of the study: The dosage used was about one- third the typical recommended dosage. This is a cute trick we've seen in other alternative health care research: Use a ridiculously low dosage and then spread the word: Echinacea, vitamin E, folic acid (fill in the blank) doesn't work! Last year, researchers at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy conducted a study that provides an ideal rebuttal to that 2005 trial. After analyzing 14 Echinacea intervention studies, the UC team reported: "Echinacea decreased the odds of developing the common cold by 58 %…and the duration of a cold by 1.4 days." And a vitamin C supplement might improve those numbers. In a study in which Echinacea was combined with vitamin C supplements, risk of developing a cold dropped by more than 85 percent, compared to placebo. In that same study, subjects who took Echinacea alone lowered their risk by 65 percent. As with any herbal treatment, consumers need to know some basics before they purchase an Echinacea product. In previous e-Alerts, I've mentioned this rule of thumb for Echinacea: Potency runs from seed to root to leaf to almost none in the flower - so look for products that are extracted from the root. That advice comes from HSI Panelist Jon Barron who cautions that formulas containing Echinacea flowers may also contain pollen, which can trigger allergic reactions. Herbalists also recommend that Echinacea not be taken daily for long periods of time. Some herbalists suggest two weeks should be the maximum, while others say a few weeks longer is fine. Talk to your doctor or an experienced herbalist who's knowledgeable about your medical history before using Echinacea. Sources:
"Echinacea Intake Induces an Immune Response Through Altered Expression of Leucocyte hsp70, Increased White Cell Counts and Improved Erythrocyte Antioxidant Defenses" Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics, Vol. 30, No. 4, August 2005, ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/jcpt
"Evaluation of Echinacea for the Prevention and Treatment of the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis" The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Vol. 7, No. 7, July 2007, sciencedirect.com
"Echinacea Effective Against Colds - Review" NutraIngredients-USA, 6/25/07, nutraingredients-usa.com | 
