Echinacea for Colds: Does It Actually Work?

Every fall, echinacea flies off pharmacy shelves across Canada. It's one of the most popular herbal remedies for colds, but is it worth taking, and if so, when and how? Here's what the research actually says, how Health Canada classifies it, and how to use it sensibly this cold and flu season.

The short answer

Echinacea is not a cure for the common cold, and the research on it is mixed. Some echinacea products may modestly help relieve cold symptoms, especially when started at the first sign of a cold, but the overall evidence is weak and results vary a lot between products. If you want to try it, choose a licensed product with a Natural Product Number (NPN), start at the first sniffle, follow the label, and pair it with the basics: rest, fluids and time.

What is echinacea?

Echinacea (purple coneflower) is a flowering plant native to North America and a member of the daisy family. Supplements are made from different species (most often Echinacea purpurea) and different plant parts (the flowering tops, the root, or both) as tinctures, tablets, capsules and teas. Those differences matter, because products made from different species, plant parts and extraction methods don't necessarily behave the same way.

What does the research say?

The most-cited summary is a Cochrane review that pooled 24 double-blind trials with more than 4,600 participants (Cochrane, 2014). Its conclusions:

• For treating a cold: some echinacea products may work better than a placebo, but the overall evidence for a clinically meaningful effect is weak.
• For preventing colds: individual trials generally did not show a statistically significant reduction in how often people got sick.
• Products vary: the preparations tested were so different from each other that it's hard to draw firm conclusions about echinacea as a whole.

In other words, echinacea isn't a guaranteed fix, but some people find a particular product helps them, and it's generally well tolerated for short-term use.

How Health Canada classifies it

In Canada, echinacea is sold as a natural health product. Health Canada's monograph for Echinacea purpurea recognizes it as traditionally used in herbal medicine to help relieve cold symptoms and symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (Health Canada monograph). Look for an eight-digit NPN on the label: it means the product has been licensed for sale in Canada for the uses and dose printed on the package.

How to take echinacea

• Start early. Most people take it at the first signs of a cold, such as a scratchy throat, sneezing or that run-down feeling, rather than once symptoms are in full swing.
• Follow the label dose. Doses differ widely between tinctures, tablets and capsules, so use the directions on your specific product.
• Use it short term. Echinacea is typically taken for days to a couple of weeks during a cold. Ask a healthcare provider before using it for longer than the label suggests.
• Kids: only use a product labelled for your child's age, at the children's dose.

Who should avoid it or check first

• People allergic to plants in the daisy family (ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies), since allergic reactions are possible.
• People with an autoimmune condition or who take immunosuppressant medications: talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding people: speak with a healthcare provider before use.
• Anyone taking prescription medications: ask your pharmacist about interactions.

Side effects, when they happen, are usually mild, most commonly stomach upset or a rash.

Other options people use during cold season

When to see a doctor

Most colds clear up on their own within 7 to 10 days. See a healthcare provider if you have trouble breathing, a high or persistent fever, symptoms lasting more than 10 days or getting worse after starting to improve, severe sore throat or ear pain, or if you're caring for an infant or someone with a chronic health condition who is getting sick.

The bottom line

Echinacea is a reasonable thing to try at the first sign of a cold if you understand its limits: the evidence is mixed, products vary, and it's no substitute for rest and fluids. Choose a licensed product with an NPN, start early, follow the label, and check with your pharmacist if you have allergies, an autoimmune condition or take other medications.

Shop cold season support: A.Vogel Echinaforce Liquid, A.Vogel Echinaforce Extra Tablets, COLD-FX First Signs and NFH Elderberry SAP, or browse our Immune Support collection and Cough & Congestion collection.

This article is for general educational purposes and isn't a substitute for personalized medical advice. Read and follow the label, and speak with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have a health condition or take prescription medication.