Top 7 Natural Cold Remedies: Do They Work?

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Echinacea

The herb Echinacea purpurea is one of the best known and widely available herbal cold treatments. Recent study results have been negative, but its effectiveness may vary depending on the preparation. Two studies funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine found no benefit from echinacea in a juice formulation or in an unrefined combination of root and herb. However, David Leopold, MD, recommends mixing 15 to 20 drops of an echinacea tincture with warm water four or five times a day (or as directed on the bottle).

"It tends to be a little more potent than pills," says Dr. Leopold, who is the director of integrative medical education at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine and a faculty member with the Scripps Natural Supplement Conference, in La Jolla, Calif.

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