Supplement
Echinacea is a group of purple coneflower plants whose extracts are thought to nudge the immune system, helping immune cells respond to viruses. People mostly look at it for colds, and the evidence is limited: pooled trials found cold symptoms improved, and one small study found a type of immune cell went up. Those studies were small, and a measure of another immune cell showed no clear difference, so the picture is far from settled.
Sources: PMID 16678640; PMID 15197051
- Updated
- How we grade
- 23 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 8
- Outcomes
- 31
- Graded outcomes
- 0035
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Immune Health
- Exercise-Induced Immune Suppression: improves
- Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Risk: changes; see studies
- Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Symptoms: improves
Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI)
- Sleep Quality
- Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Risk: changes; see studies
Aerobic Exercise Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics
- Hemoglobin: improves
- Erythropoietin: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect | NoneNo effect | 107 people | ||||
| Hemoglobin | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 107 people | |||
Studies that measured hemoglobin | ||||||
| Erythropoietin | Improves (the measure goes up) | 107 people | ||||
| Hematocrit | Improves (the measure goes up) | 107 people | ||||
Running Performance
- Erythropoietin
- Oxygen Cost of Exercise: improves
- Oxygen Uptake: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erythropoietin No effect | NoneNo effect | 24 people | ||||
| Oxygen Cost of Exercise | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 24 people | |||
Studies that measured oxygen cost of exercise | ||||||
| Oxygen Uptake | Improves (the measure goes up) | 24 people | ||||
| Red Blood Cell Count | Improves (the measure goes up) | 24 people | ||||
General Athletic Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics
- Hemoglobin: improves
- Erythropoietin: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect | NoneNo effect | 107 people | ||||
| Hemoglobin | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 107 people | |||
Studies that measured hemoglobin | ||||||
| Erythropoietin | Improves (the measure goes up) | 107 people | ||||
| Hematocrit | Improves (the measure goes up) | 107 people | ||||
High Blood Pressure
- Blood Pressure: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Pressure | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 16 people | |||
Studies that measured blood pressure | ||||||
Key findings
- Common Cold SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
- CD3 LymphocytesImproves (the measure goes up)
- Exercise-Induced Immune SuppressionImproves (the measure goes up)
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
23 studies from PubMed
- Echinacea in the prevention of induced rhinovirus colds: a meta-analysis
- Echinacea purpurea therapy for the treatment of the common cold: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
- An evaluation of Echinacea angustifolia in experimental rhinovirus infections
- Echinaforce and other Echinacea fresh plant preparations in the treatment of the common cold. A randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind clinical trial
- Echinacea for treating the common cold: a randomized trial
- Efficacy and safety of echinacea in treating upper respiratory tract infections in children: a randomized controlled trial
- A proprietary extract from the echinacea plant (Echinacea purpurea) enhances systemic immune response during a common cold
- Efficacy of a standardized echinacea preparation (Echinilin) for the treatment of the common cold: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- Ineffectiveness of echinacea for prevention of experimental rhinovirus colds
- Echinacea for the prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis
- Echinacea purpurea for prevention of experimental rhinovirus colds
- Safety and Efficacy Profile of Echinacea purpurea to Prevent Common Cold Episodes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
- Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysis
- Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold
- A randomized controlled trial of the effect of fluid extract of Echinacea purpurea on the incidence and severity of colds and respiratory infections
- Efficacy of Echinacea purpurea in patients with a common cold. A placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blind clinical trial
- Randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of echinacea supplementation in air travellers
- Effects of echinacea on electrocardiographic and blood pressure measurements
- Echinacea purpurea and mucosal immunity
- Echinacea root extracts for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections: a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial
- Effects of echinacea on the frequency of upper respiratory tract symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- Running economy and maximal oxygen consumption after 4 weeks of oral Echinacea supplementation
- Echinacea Supplementation Does Not Impact Aerobic Capacity and Erythropoiesis in Athletes: A Meta-Analysis.