Echinacea??

[Taffsmum]

Hi,

I'm currently on enbrel and methotrexate. I have had constant colds this year due to poor immunity, and wondered if it's worth taking echinacea to boost it.

Anyone tried this or have any other ideas? All advice would be greatly received.

Paula🤧🤧

[Matilda7]

It's a controversial topic on this forum as I discovered. I take it at the first sign of a cold and also start eating high dose vitamin C, ie 1gm daily.

But lots of people on this forum think I am misguided! However it works for me. We need to boost our immunity to fight colds. I also eat lots of organic garlic, fresh fruit and veg and exercise regularly.

I'll let others give you their view.

[Taffsmum]

Thank you for your response, it's certainly a tricky one. I was taking berrocca at the beginning of the year but then a high blood sugar warning showed up on my blood tests so stopped!

[Barrister]

The medication that we take for inflammatory arthritis is to suppress our immune systems in order to reduce inflammation, so taking supplements to boost the immune system is rather contrary to what we want. Clemmie

[helixhelix]

I was told by my rheumy specifically to avoid echinacea. She was happy with general supplements like Vit C, D, B12 but not that. Exactly for reasons Barrister said, as supporting our general metabolic system & overall health was good, but not boosting certain bits of immune system.

[medway-lady]

If you do take it be careful in the sun. I'm sure like Evening primrose it can make the skin a bit more sensative.

[Taffsmum]

Thank you, I think I will avoid!

[KayEP]

I take Zinc, Cranberry and Propolis (bee glue!). I was getting frequent urinary infections and this are the ingredients in a medication given by my urologist (medications was too expensive so I just buy the separate ingredients.

[AgedCrone]

Leave echinacea to those without immune system problems!

Many years ago when I had just got some relief from RA pain, I read an article on Echinacea......for some reason I decided to try it & within 3 weeks all my aches & pains returned.....it was only then I realised the last thing I needed was to boost my immune system....it was already working overtime.

Very soon after I stopped taking it, my RA meds started working again.

I still wonder why I took it!

[Maeve31]

I read an article a few years ago & it explained that Methotrexate increases your white blood cells as does Echinacea and that's why you're not supposed to use it while on MTX.

I guess maybe stick to the super foods and honey. I think a lot of people found last Winter bad