Percival has found echinacea stimulates white blood cells, which fight infection. Results showed the white blood cells increased by three times the normal level. But her study also showed dangers in taking the herb every day. White blood cells produce a lot of free radicals to kill bacteria, Percival said. Free radicals generated for no reason could rot tissues and lipids the same way food rots, she said.
Most labels recommend the herb be taken only for eight weeks.
But not all bottles have this label. The herb only should be taken at the first sign of a cold, as a treatment and not as a prevention, Percival said. As for the reproduction study, Percival said anything added to a sperm and egg culture could cause harm if the doses are too high. I'm just sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what the next big problem is. Student Advantage, Inc.