In this study, 175 adults flew in coach class over a one to five week period, from Australia to America, Europe, or Africa, on flights lasting from 15 to 25 hours, with stopovers of less than 12 hours. Starting two weeks before flying, and continuing two weeks afterward, the travelers took a placebo or 600mg of echinacea angustifolia root, 675 mg of echinacea purpurea root, plus 4.4 mg of echinacea alkylamides, twice per day. Participants doubled the dose while flying, and could triple or quadruple the dose for a short time when cold or flu symptoms occurred.
Researchers measured cold and flu symptoms before and immediately after travel, and again four weeks later. Upper respiratory symptoms increased for everyone during long-haul flights, but symptoms in the echinacea group were half as severs as symptoms were for placebo.
Reference: Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine; 2012, Electronic Prepublication
From the September 2012 newsletter
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