Leslie

Has anyone heard of or have any knowledge of "Echinacea tablets" Mrs Leslie says they are supposed to be good for protection from all sorts of ailments.

Its a herbal remedy it says and I was wondering if its all a big con or what.

Les

Snazy

Me mum swears by it, and claims a lot less colds etc using it.

boxst

Hello

My wife uses drops (not tablets) on her and our children and it seems to help them with colds etc..

I'm never sure whether these things are a con or not to be honest (which is why I don't take it), but it works for them ..

Steve

OllyK

Some studies suggest that they can cut your chances of getting a cold, although most of the studies show no benefit. Seeing as a cold is a virus, I'm not sure what mechanism it would take to provide protection. Personally I'd just make sure you keep eating a balanced diet with plenty of vitamins.

Leslie

Thanks for the replies. Yes I do eat a pretty balanced diet and I agree that is important, but maybe i will give the tablets a try then.

Les

Sanjita Patel

haha nice one bros. I know whit yoo WWII veterans mean when yoo say herbal remedies bros

Ameen tae thae n peace oot bros

OllyK

But how will you know if they worked?

gam1415

Echinacea tablets are dangerous.......I opened the kitchen cupboard and a packet of these fell from the top shelf of Mrs Gam's dubious medicine collection and hit me in the eye

OllyK

And the 1 study that said they worked, said they are only effective for 2 weeks then you should take a break from them otherwise it's worse than not taking them

Lee247

I take Echinacea, Les. Two weeks on, two weeks off. Supposed to help build up the immune system. I've not had even a cold since I started taking it a few years ago. Saying that, I will expect one now.........

OllyK

I don't take it and I haven't either, whaddaya know?

I'm not having a go, I just don't have much faith in these kind of things, by all means take it, if nothing else it will probably have a placebo effect, but just remember you are paying out good money for something that doesn't have a good track record when tested.

The problem is, as you have said, you haven't had a cold in a while, but what's to say you wouldn't have anyway? I also have some concerns with the trails that are published, trying to measure how many people got colds and who didn't doesn't seem the best way as some people may be less susceptible anyway. If it claims to improve the imune system then test for antibodies / white blood cell count etc and see if there is a difference in a person after taking. I think I can guess what the results of that test would show.

Leslie

Thanks Lesley.

I rarely get colds myself anyway so as Olly says-I may not know if they are doing any good anyway. It just depends how much Mrs Leslie goes on about it as much as anything I suppose.

Les

OllyK

I know they say "prevention is better than cure", however, if you don't get colds very often I wouldn't be taking any drugs, even herbal.