Echinacea

Hello,
Could you please specify which echinacea meets both criteria, as the preparations available on the market do not specify the content of both substances?
Thank you.

When selecting a preparation containing echinacea, always consider its quality by checking the label for information about the content of these two substances (cichoric acid and alkamides). If they are not listed, it is clear that the product does not contain a standardized extract, making it pointless to purchase the supplement at all. Echinacea is among the best-selling herbs worldwide; unfortunately, this popularity leads to fraudulent manipulations of quality by dietary supplement manufacturers. Analyses even show that it is common for a manufacturer to guarantee the content of a standardized extract, but it is not actually present. Such practices are frequent in the dietary supplement industry, and consumers essentially have two options to obtain a quality product:
1. The first is to choose based on certifications, preferably from independent companies (if the manufacturer/seller has them, they will always showcase them).
2. The second is ongoing testing of selected products.

Good day, Mr. Jelínek.

In the lesson, you mention that it is appropriate to use echinacea during an acute infection at short intervals. What should I imagine as a short interval? For example, my son (11 years old) started coughing and his temperature slightly increased. Should I start administering echinacea perhaps 3 times a day? And for a duration of 10-14 days, as you suggest? I would not want to cause health problems for my son and I would like to know for the future how to proceed in cases of colds and various viral infections, which are currently everywhere.

I have a product where the manufacturer states:
Extract from Echinacea purpurea herb 4:1 in powder form
• 4% polyphenols.
• 2% chicoric/cichoric acid

And another question: In what amount should echinacea be administered? The manufacturer states:
Dosage: Dissolve a 125mg dose in water and drink once daily.
Is this sufficient?

Thank you very much for your answer.

Echinacea is recommended to be taken either preventively in short cycles or specifically in situations where there is an initial subjective perception or manifestation of imbalance. Its uniqueness lies in its ability to briefly and effectively support the process of phagocytosis, working most efficiently when administered during the incubation period (which in practice is almost impossible to determine accurately) and shortly after the first clinical signs and symptoms of illness appear. If echinacea is supplemented only after symptoms have developed, its ability to influence the course of the disease is significantly reduced (which does not mean that it becomes useless). Since each manufacturer offers different product compositions, it is not possible to generalize dosing; always adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations.