Echinacea can be easily found in grocery stores, pharmacies, and health-food stores. Zellner says it comes in many forms, including tinctures, dried herbs, capsules, and teas. "There is currently no official dose recommendation for echinacea. However, research has suggested that 300 to 500 mg of powder extract tid (three times daily) is effective in aiding immunity and 2.5 ml tid for tinctures," she says. "It is important to note that these recommendations are best used as a short-term intervention, as we do not have long-term studies to support ongoing use."
When choosing a product, you'll want to do as much research as you can into the brand and the product itself. "You want to buy from a brand that you can trust and who offers transparency around their sourcing," Poon suggests. "Choose ingredient labels that are simple and avoid added fillers, sugars, and artificial coloring."
Zellner recommends looking for formulations that include E. purpurea and/or E. angustifolia. Of the nine species of echinacea, she says that these two are the most commonly studied and used for healing.
Take a look at some echinacea products below, sourced by our editors.