What are the health benefits of echinacea? Some of the health benefits are the ability to improve your immune system, reduce feelings of anxiety and it can possibly treat skin issues. Echinacea plant compounds are loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants help defend against oxidative stress and it has been linked to fighting chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.
Those antioxidants in echinacea are flavonoids, cichoric acid and rosmarinic acid which will fight off diseases. There have been research studies that the echinacea plant can help improve your immune system while combating infections and illnesses.
What are the health benefits of echinacea? Photo credit: iStock-Aleksandra Filatova
There are research studies that showed that taking echinacea may lower the risk of developing a cold by 50%.
Test tube research studies have found that echinacea plants can lower blood sugar levels. In that test tube study Echinacea purpurea extract was shown to suppress enzymes that digest carbohydrates. And this reduces the amount of sugar entering your blood when consumed.
Some research studies have shown that echinacea plants have compounds that can reduce the feeling of anxiety. Some of the research studies were done on mice and it showed it reduced anxiety in mice. Another research study showed that Echinacea angustifolia extract reduced feelings of anxiety in mice and humans significantly.
Inflammation is a common health problem that can heighten the risk of chronic diseases. Several research studies have shown that echinacea can reduce excess inflammation. There was a 30-day study where adults that had osteoarthritis found that taking a supplement with echinacea extract reduced inflammation, chronic pain and swelling.
There was a study in 10 healthy people that were between the ages of 25 to 40 that took skin care products that had echinacea extract. And they were found to improve skin hydration and reduce skin wrinkles.
Echinacea supplements are healthy and safe for short term use purposes. Some of the potential side effects of echinacea products if you are taking it long term are:
- Itchy Skin
- Rashes
- Swelling
- Stomach Pain
- Nausea
There is no official dosage recommendation for Echinacea, but it is best to look at what the supplement bottle says from a dosage perspective in terms of what is recommended.
Research studies recommend this dosage to increase your immunity.
- Powdered Extract- 300 to 500 mg of Echinacea purpurea 3 times daily
- Liquid extract- 2.5 mil, three times daily or up to 10 mil daily.
“Echinacea plant compounds are loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants help defend against oxidative stress and it has been linked to fighting chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer.” Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert Obi Obadike
The Bottom Line is Echinacea has been shown to improve immunity, blood sugar, anxiety, inflammation, and skin health. It is important to reference that the human research studies on this is limited and the studies are small.
It is considered safe to take it health wise from a short-term use perspective.
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References
- Shah SA, Sander S, White CM, Rinaldi M, Coleman CI. Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2007 Jul;7(7):473-80. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(07)70160-3. Erratum in: Lancet Infect Dis. 2007 Sep;7(9):580. PMID: 17597571; PMCID: PMC7106401.
- Gilroy CM, Steiner JF, Byers T, Shapiro H, Georgian W. Echinacea and truth in labeling. Arch Intern Med. 2003 Mar 24;163(6):699-704. doi: 10.1001/archinte.163.6.699. PMID: 12639203.
- Mullins RJ, Heddle R. Adverse reactions associated with echinacea: the Australian experience. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2002 Jan;88(1):42-51. doi: 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)63591-0. PMID: 11814277.
- Yotsawimonwat S, Rattanadechsakul J, Rattanadechsakul P, Okonogi S. Skin improvement and stability of Echinacea purpurea dermatological formulations. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2010 Oct;32(5):340-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2494.2009.00559.x. PMID: 20384903.
- Oláh A, Szabó-Papp J, Soeberdt M, Knie U, Dähnhardt-Pfeiffer S, Abels C, Bíró T. Echinacea purpurea-derived alkylamides exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects and alleviate clinical symptoms of atopic eczema. J Dermatol Sci. 2017 Oct;88(1):67-77. doi: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2017.05.015. Epub 2017 May 27. PMID: 28610718.
- Haller J, Hohmann J, Freund TF. The effect of Echinacea preparations in three laboratory tests of anxiety: comparison with chlordiazepoxide. Phytother Res. 2010 Nov;24(11):1605-13. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3181. PMID: 21031616.
- Shah SA, Sander S, White CM, Rinaldi M, Coleman CI. Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2007 Jul;7(7):473-80. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(07)70160-3. Erratum in: Lancet Infect Dis. 2007 Sep;7(9):580. PMID: 17597571; PMCID: PMC7106401.
- Melchart D, Linde K, Worku F, Bauer R, Wagner H. Immunomodulation with echinacea – a systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Phytomedicine. 1994 Dec;1(3):245-54. doi: 10.1016/S0944-7113(11)80072-3. PMID: 23195946.
- Kim HR, Oh SK, Lim W, Lee HK, Moon BI, Seoh JY. Immune enhancing effects of Echinacea purpurea root extract by reducing regulatory T cell number and function. Nat Prod Commun. 2014 Apr;9(4):511-4. PMID: 24868871.
- Manayi A, Vazirian M, Saeidnia S. Echinacea purpurea: Pharmacology, phytochemistry and analysis methods. Pharmacogn Rev. 2015 Jan-Jun;9(17):63-72. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.156353. PMID: 26009695; PMCID: PMC4441164.
