Please can you advise me. I take echinacea every day, but when I went to my local chemist to replenish stocks I was told that it's better to take it for only three weeks at a time with a three week break between courses. To confuse matters further, a customer waiting behind me told me that you should only take echinacea when there's a 'R' in the month!
On the box it states that one should be taken daily - nothing else. And when talking to a friend, she informed me that echinacea should not be taken with cod liver oil and evening primrose capsules. What on earth is the right thing to do?
Echinacea is a very popular herb and there are a lot of "urban myths" surrounding it. Differing opinions on how it should be taken mean that it's very easy to become confused about dosage and timing.
Not all echinacea products are the same, and as a general rule it is best to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the package as different preparations have slightly different ingredients. Some brands combine echinacea with other herbs, or use only the plant's active ingredients rather than the whole plant or root extract, which may be fresh or dried. Different types of echinacea (usually purpurea or angustifolia) also have slightly different properties. Echinacea purpurea root tinctures or extracts are generally considered to be the most effective, and may be taken both in a low dose longer-term to boost immunity and reduce infections, or in a higher dose when you feel an infection coming on. One s uch product is Kiwiherb's Echinacea (purpurea) Root Formula, available from Xynergy Health Products www.xynergy.co.uk tel 08456 585858.
Echinacea appears to work by stimulating the white blood cells which destroy infection-causing viruses and bacteria. Some fear that taking echinacea long-term can reduce its effectiveness, but recently published analysis of trials shows otherwise. If you are normally healthy, it is probably best just to take echinacea as and when needed i.e. at the first sign of a cold, or if you suddenly catch one. Again the dose will vary according to the manufacturer, so check to see what they recommend for both long- and short-term use.
There is no reason not to take echinacea alongside essential fatty acids such as fish oils or evening primrose as there is no danger of interaction or of lessening the effectiveness of one or the other.
Stella New RSHom is a registered homeopath and dietary therapist based in West Sussex. Prior to her training she spent many years as an expedition leader, taking groups into some of the most challenging parts of the world, where she was inspired by the use of natural remedies for treating all manner of ailments. Email stella@stellanew.co.uk