Echinacea

[Caggi]

Hi all

In the past I’ve taken echinacea.

I’ve just read on the instructions do not take if you have asthma. I’m sure it didn’t affect me before but now I’m hesitant to take them.

Does anybody else use them?

I bought purely because I work in school and have already developed a nasty cold in the first 3 weeks back.

Thank you.

[HungryHufflepuff]

I use echinacea regularly and had no idea it says not to take if you have asthma. (Maybe because I've never read the leaflet 🙄) I use it if I feel a cold coming on and also as a preventative course through the cold and flu season which seems to most of the year. 10 days taking it then 10 days without. I can't say I've noticed any ill effects but I have so many ill feelings, who knows which are caused by what?! But, I do believe echinacea helps prevent colds and flu but I might actually read the leaflet next time I buy some.

[Hidden]

Talk to your doctor. Echinacea hasn’t actually been proven to help with colds so if there is a risk with no benefit why take it? We’d all love a safe, reliable way to ward off colds because they can trigger really bad asthma exacerbations.

You could also ask the pharmacist why that warning is on there. They have access to information we don’t.

[Marydoll589]

I’ve never heard this about it. I’ve taken it numerous times with no problems. Try at a weekend just in case but if you’ve taken before should be fine.

[Impoftheyard]

I have been told in the past by a medical herbalist not to take echinacea. The reason is that it fights colds by boosting immune response. Asthma and other autoimmune conditions feature an exaggerated immune response. I suspect that if echinacea does have an impact it won’t be selective and therefore has the potential to aggravate any autoimmune condition.

I’m not aware of research showing benefits or harms of echinacea but that’s the reason I was given to avoid it.

[HungryHufflepuff]

Yesterday I bought a new pack of echinacea and it really does state Do not use if you have asthma. I really believe echinacea helps me avoid the numerous colds and other bugs that seem to be continuously going round. Or if I feel like I'm starting to get a cold I take echinacea and the cold just seems to go before it's started. I guess the best thing to do is ask my doctor if it's safe to keep using echinacea but I'll be quite devastated if I'm told to stop using it as I'm convinced it keeps me free from colds etc when everyone else gets sick with them.