Echinacea Not Effective Against Colds?

Studies available for echinacea's effectiveness against colds is limited and contradictory. The newest study shows echinacea not effective against colds.

Echinacea has been used by many in order to enhance the immune system. It is available in products specifically designated to prevent colds or to reduce the duration or impact of a cold. Although some claim benefits from taking echinacea, studies have been inconclusive and even contradictory on the effectiveness of echinacea in treating and preventing the common cold.

In a recent study overview by Katrini Woznicki for WebMD, those given echinacea for cold symptoms had their colds reduced by about half a day. Researchers say that out of a ten-day cold, this half a day difference is insignificant and shows that echinacea is not effective against colds.

Other studies show contradicting evidence. Some show there is greater improvement in cold symptoms in those taking echinacea, while others show no difference at all. Some show that different parts of the echinacea plant are more effective than others in the fight against the common cold.

Even without research studies, companies can claim the effectiveness of a herbal remedy without the need for scientific research. Herbal remedies sold over-the-counter are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"). Companies for these types of products have no need to prove their remedies actually work.

A problem with purchasing herbal remedies, such as echinacea, is that there are really no quality control standards. There is no guarantee the product will contain the percentage of echinacea claimed, nor of equality of effectiveness from batch to batch.

Actual effectiveness from use of herbal products mimics past research with many users actually finding echinacea to be effective against colds and other illness. It could be that echinacea is truly effective in some individuals or perhaps there is a placebo effect for those taking echinacea for colds. Either way, as research studies have shown, echinacea is not effective for everyone.

Will new studies such as this one cause the FDA to start regulating herbal remedies? Should they? If the FDA did become involved, there would be higher quality standards. But there would also be the risk that herbal remedies such as echinacea would not be available to the people who use them and have come to depend on them.

Whether or not the FDA becomes involved in herbal remedies, there will need to be more studies to finally decide if echinacea if effective against colds or not.

Katrina Woznicki; Echinacea Mildly Effective in Treating Colds; WebMD

Melchart, D, et al.; Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold; PubMed

Bruce P. Barrett, MD, PhD; Treatment of the Common Cold with Unrefined Echinacea; Annals of Internal Medicine