Echinacea... a bad idea for type 1's?

-Artemis-

Well-Known Member
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533
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
Type 1 peeps, any thoughts on echinacea...?

I've been getting a bunch of colds this winter (which is odd as I've not had any for years... possibly insulin related - but I digress...) so I was thinking about taking echinacea - but - something in the back of my mind niggled; if t1 is autoimmune; ie something in my immune system is causing me to produce antibodies which are taking out my beta cells, then does that mean taking something which will boost the attacking cells is a bad idea...?

A brief search found the bits below:

http://www.dlife.com/diabetes-food-and-fitness/dietary_supplements/128.daily_living.echinacea

http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/lada_diabetics/forum/topics/echinacea-1?xg_source=activity

"My take on this is that I've been told that with any kind of autoimmune disease, you don't take echinacea long-term. Some say that ANY echinacea is out.

Echinacea contains lectin that stimulates cytokine secretion by lymphocytes and their proliferation. That causes a general stimulation to the immune system and makes it more aggressive. Certainly for people with autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Sjogrens etc, echinacea is out.

While it might be good for a cold or sore throat, it's not good for the rest of the autoimmune process. In some people echinacea can exacerbate asthma too.

On the other hand, if your c-peptide is already whacked out, a couple of days on echinacea may not make that any worse."

....but I'd be interested in your thoughts...
 
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